Shark Teeth Es

Shark teeth have built-in toothpaste

July 26, 2012
Not only do shark's teeth have built-in toothpaste, they have no cavities!

An in-depth look at shark teeth has found that they contain fluoride, the active ingredient of most toothpaste and dental care mouthwashes.

It helps to explain why sharks are so effective at either tearing or cutting prey. Their teeth are perfectly designed for such tasks, never suffering from cavities, according to the study, recently published in the Journal of Structural Biology.

While shark teeth contain the mineral fluoroapatite (fluorinated calcium phosphate), the teeth of humans and other mammals contain hydroxyapatite, which is an inorganic constituent also found in bone, explained co-author Matthias Epple.

Read the entire aritcle at msnbc.com.

For other news about fluoride, click here.