If teeth are important for humans not only functionally but aesthetically, animals with sharp teeth treat their munchers a bit differently. Though it is true that animals use their sharp teeth for eating, they do not regard them as a beauty must-have. Instead, they use their sharp fangs and razor-sharp pearly whites as a defense mechanism against other predators of human hunters. Here are some notable animals that show off their impressive fangs and sharp teeth.
Why do animal teeth have different shapes and sizes?
An animal’s teeth can be differentiated depending on their diet. Herbivores, or animals that only eat plants and leaves, are expected to have wide and flat teeth, much like what humans have. Carnivores, or animals who only eat meat, have shown to have pointed sharp and long teeth to help then bite and chew the bodies of their prey. Carnivores have no use with flat teeth because they do not chew their food; they just bite and swallow. Omnivores, or animals who eat both plants and meat, are shown to have a combination of sharp and wide teeth, so they can attack and bite their food and chew them as well.
Animals commonly known with impressive sharp teeth
There are animals with sharp teeth that are very notable not only because of their effect on humans but also to other animals themselves.
Babirusa. A native of Indonesia, also known as deer pigs, these creatures have two upper tusks and two lower canines that also look like tusks grown upwards. They use this to protect themselves from imminent danger from fellow aggressive babirusa. The problem with their mighty canines is that if they let it grow and not grind them well, they have the tendency to elongate as time passes and stab their own head, causing their death.
Crocodiles and alligators. These reptiles are the predators of lakes and ponds in key states in the US and Latin America. They are actually the first and second strongest biters in the world, respectively. They are also two of the very few species that do not have a known predator, except humans.
Sharks. Not all sharks are scary, some are not man-eaters, but most of them are if you give them the impression that you are going to present danger in their paths. With their almost 3000 teeth, who wouldn’t be scared if they are faced with one? Their razor-sharp teeth allow them to bite, gnaw, and chew their prey in a matter of seconds.
Polar bears. Much stronger than the brown bears, polar bears are blessed with 42 teeth that make it easy for them to gnaw their food and swallow them in large chunks.
Big wild cat family. Lions, tigers, jaguars, leopards, and pumas. These wild cats of the jungle catch their prey with stealth and power. They take down their prey by biting them on the neck, crushing the throat, and stopping the animal from breathing. Their sharp teeth are what helps them tear off the meat and swallow them chunk by chunk.
Small wild cat family. Cheetahs and hyenas are small to medium-sized cats in the wild that feast on their prey in a different way. After they kill an overpowered animal, their sharp teeth allow them to grind and break even the bones of the animal and eat them.
