Sharks lose thousands of teeth. Beavers never stop growing theirs. Elephants use theirs like tools. Pretty wild, right? Teeth aren’t just for chewing — especially in the animal kingdom. Whether they’re sharp, flat, long, or tucked out of sight, animal teeth are full of surprises.
At Storybook Smiles Children’s Dentistry in Tyler, TX, Dr. Dylan Patrick and his team love sharing fun, bite-sized facts that get kids curious about teeth — both theirs and others’.
Some Animals Never Stop Growing Their Teeth
Beavers, rabbits, and guinea pigs have teeth that keep growing their whole lives. That’s why they chew on wood or crunchy plants — it helps file their teeth down so they don’t get too long. Without that constant chewing, their teeth could actually grow so much that it makes eating hard!
Sharks Are the Kings of Tooth Replacements
Sharks don’t just lose a tooth here and there — they lose thousands over their lifetime. Some grow new rows of teeth every few weeks! In fact, if a shark loses a tooth while biting something, a new one often moves into place like it was waiting in line.
Snails Have the Most Teeth (Surprise!)
They’re tiny and slow, but snails pack a serious tooth count — some have over 10,000! Their teeth aren’t like ours though. Snail teeth are arranged in rows on a tongue-like ribbon called a radula. It’s used for scraping food, not crunching it.
Snakes Have a Unique Way of Eating
Snakes don’t chew their food. Instead, their teeth point backward to help keep food moving in the right direction — toward the throat. Their jaws can stretch open much wider than ours, which lets them swallow meals that look too big for their heads. With gentle, steady movements, they use their teeth to guide their food down, almost like they’re walking it into place, no forks or spoons required.
Elephants Use Their Teeth Like Tools
Elephants don’t just eat with their teeth — they use their tusks (which are actually long teeth) to dig, carry, and protect themselves. And like shark teeth, elephant molars are replaced several times over a lifetime.
Smiling and Learning at Storybook Smiles in Tyler, TX
At Storybook Smiles Children’s Dentistry in Tyler, TX, Dr. Dylan Patrick believes that learning about teeth can be fun — whether they’re human or not. Curious kids ask great questions, and we’re always ready to explore answers with a smile.
Come visit us and start your child’s dental journey with confidence, kindness, and maybe a few animal facts along the way.
Image from Authority Dental under CC 2.0
