Page 107 - (DK) I Can’t Believe It! 2

IT CAN’T BE TRUE! 105

An elephant has four molars (back
teeth) in its jaws at any one time. They FAST FACTS
grow up to 8¼ in (21 cm) long and 2¾ in
(7 cm) wide, and weigh up to 9 lb (4 kg). Tusks are front teeth used for
Although tooth enamel is the hardest defense while fighting, digging,
substance in a body, the teeth still wear lifting, or displaying. Walruses
The crown is the part down and are replaced six times during also use theirs like icepicks to
of a tooth that sits the elephant’s life. haul themselves out of the water.
above the gum.

African elephant tusk 10 ft (3 m)
Narwhal tusk 9 ft (2.7 m)

Walrus tusk 3 ft 4 in (1 m)

Warthog tusk 18 in (45 cm)
Babirusa tusk 12 in (30 cm)

An ancient sharklike fish called
Helicoprion had no teeth in its
upper jaw and a unique set in its
lower jaw—they were arranged
like a spiral saw. No one is sure
how the fish used them. Perhaps
the teeth shredded the flesh of
the fish as it pushed it toward
its throat to swallow it.

Saw teeth
The creases in the root show that a molar is made spiraled
up of a collection of up to 12 separate plates, or out of its
“tooth buds,” that merged together as they grew. mouth
A lion’s back teeth are
around 1¼ in (3 cm) wide.
They are razor-sharp and
work in pairs, like scissors,
to slice through meat. A great white shark
has serrated teeth.
The largest can grow
to 2¾ in (7 cm) from
base to tip.

US_104_105_309600_ICBT_How_Big_Elephant_Teeth.indd 105 19/12/17 2:35 pm