Book 1, Question 38
Why Do Sharks Have So Many Teeth? A Conveyor Belt of Chompers!
Sharks are tooth experts! Their teeth are tools that fall out when worn or loose, and behind the front teeth are backup rows waiting their turn, like a conveyor belt. When a front tooth is gone, the next row moves up to take its place, so over a lifetime a shark can have thousands of teeth. The page compares sharp, triangle-shaped slicing teeth with flatter, rounded crusher teeth used for shells. Which other animal teeth can you compare?
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 1
More fun facts
- Some kinds of sharks can grow tens of thousands of teeth in a lifetime.
- Shark teeth have enamel, so they last a long time and show up as fossils.
- Sharks have no bones. Their skeletons are made of cartilage, but they can still fossilize.
- Megalodon, an ancient giant shark, had sharp teeth as big as bananas.
- Because sharks shed so many teeth, megalodon teeth have been found all over the world.
- Scientists found that shark teeth kept in more acidic seawater for eight weeks had about twice as much damage. Changes in ocean water could make life harder for sharks.
- Sharks are not the only conveyor belt chewers. The silvery mole rat of Kenya and Tanzania keeps replacing its back teeth too.
Sources: BBC, NOAA, National Geographic Kids, National Geographic
Questions kids ask
How many teeth can a shark have in its life?
Some kinds of sharks can grow tens of thousands of teeth in a lifetime.
Why are shark teeth common fossils?
Shark teeth have enamel and sharks shed so many of them that lots get preserved.