How Many Teeth Do Sharks Have?

Video Transcript

"Hi, I'm Nadine Slimak at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium. We're here today talking about how many teeth sharks have. It's a really good question because the number can vary so greatly among species. For instance, the Great White Shark, which is known as one of the world's most fierce sharks and has the reputation as a killer, really has some of the fewer teeth in use than many other sharks. The Great White has 50 in use at any one time, compared to, for instance, say, the Mako shark, which has a number more teeth, or the bull shark, which also has more teeth in use at any one time. One of the more interesting things about shark teeth is the fact that sharks constantly replace their teeth. When one tooth gets worn down, it falls out and is replaced by another one that grows behind it. This constantly happens throughout sharks' lives, that way they always have a sharp set of teeth. Another interesting fact about sharks is whale sharks and how their teeth work. Whale sharks are actually plankton feeders, as opposed to eating fish or marine mammals, and so their teeth are very small and they're not really used. Instead, whale sharks have a different filter mechanism that allows them to feed. At Mote Marine Laboratory, talking about shark's teeth, I'm Nadine Slimak."