
As we approach Discovery's Shark Week, here are a couple of interesting shark items that have been traveling the Internet. First, a study by chemists from the University of Duisburg-Essen found that the teeth of mako sharks and tiger sharks contain the mineral fluoroapatite (fluorinated calcium phosphate). Humans' and other mammals' teeth contain an inorganic, bone-like compound, hydroxyapatite. as we all known from or fluoride toothpaste, mouthwash, and water, there is an advantage to having some fluoride protecting our chompers. “In order to make teeth more acid resistant, toothpaste often contains fluoride,” Matthias Epple, a professor of inorganic chemistry at the University of Duisburg-Essen, told Discovery News. “In the surface ofhuman teeth after brushing, a small amount — much less than 1 percent — of hydroxide is exchanged by fluoride. In contrast,(the surface of) shark teeth contains 100 percent fluoride. In principle, sharks should not suffer from caries. As they live in water and as they change their teeth
regularly, dental protection should not be a problem for sharks.” So, sharks have built-in cavity protection. And, as the professor mentioned, they replace their teeth regularly. A shark can contain as many as several hundred teeth in it's jaw at any one time, with rows of fresh new teeth ready...