Most people know that babies are completely toothless. Also that you can lose your teeth with age. But in between, when you are neither a baby nor an old person, what happens in your mouth? How many teeth does an adult have?
An adult human normally has 28 to 32 permanent teeth. That it varies depends on whether you get your four wisdom teeth or not.
Children usually lose their baby teeth around the age of six. When the permanent teeth appear, they can look very large on the child’s small face. This is because the teeth are fully grown adult teeth that should last a lifetime. The face eventually grows in size, so that it no longer looks disproportionate.
Teeth of other species
Humans are not alone in being born without teeth and then developing small baby teeth that are replaced over time. All mammals actually have baby teeth. Below are examples of other tooth-rich animals.
- How many teeth does an adult dog have? 42 pieces. A few more than man, that is.
- How many teeth does an adult cat have? 30 pieces. Also quite similar to humans.
- How many teeth does an adult horse have? 40 to 42.
- How many teeth does an adult tiger have? 30 pieces. The canine teeth are among the largest of all felines. Watch out!
As with humans, it’s important to take care of your pets’ teeth. Giving them teeth-cleaning chew toys and brushing their teeth is good for their oral health. Maybe not if you happen to have a tiger at home, but definitely on your dog.
