How many teeth does a shark have?
Most sharks have about 50 to 300 teeth in several rows at any time, and they lose and replace them constantly, going through thousands of teeth in a lifetime.
Sharks' teeth are not set in sockets but attached to the gums. Rows of new teeth grow behind the front row, moving forward like a conveyor belt to replace teeth that break or fall out. Some sharks replace a tooth every few days.
The shape of the teeth depends on the diet. Great white sharks have triangular, serrated teeth for slicing large prey. Mako sharks have long, thin teeth for gripping slippery fish. Some sharks that eat shellfish have flat teeth for crushing.
Fossil teeth
Because sharks shed so many teeth, shark teeth are among the most common fossils. Megalodon teeth can be longer than a human hand, showing how large this extinct shark was.
Did You Know?
Whale sharks have around 3,000 tiny teeth, each only a few millimeters long, even though they filter their food and do not use them for chewing.