UKC Forums - Surely this is not true, teeth!

Surely this is not true, teeth!

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0Unknown0 23 Jan 2013

Mans teeth will continue to grow unless we chew and grind them down. So if the bottom teeth were removed the top teeth would just keep growing. I've googled this but can't get a simple answer.

toad 23 Jan 2013

In reply to Dominicandave: Are you some sort of rodent?

0Unknown0 23 Jan 2013

In reply to toad:

> (In reply to Dominicandave) Are you some sort of rodent?

SO I can take from that I am correct, teeth reach full size and then stop growing?

alexcollins123 23 Jan 2013

In reply to toad: ...or a sheep

hnmisty 23 Jan 2013

In reply to Dominicandave:

They do indeed stop growing...

...although they don't in horses!

Kemics 23 Jan 2013

In reply to Dominicandave:

Total laymans science...but at a guess i would say grazers such as cattle/sheep/horses teeth will continue to grow because they are constantly been ground down in endless cud production. Whereas predatory animals (including humans) teeth would not keep growing because they have far denser calorie meals but longer between them.

Jim C 23 Jan 2013

In reply to Kemics:

> (In reply to Dominicandave)
>
> Total laymans science...but at a guess i would say grazers such as cattle/sheep/horses teeth will continue to grow because they are constantly been ground down in endless cud production. Whereas predatory animals (including humans) teeth would not keep growing because they have far denser calorie meals but longer between them.

Sheep do not have lower front teeth, just a pad, so nothing to wear against.

peppermill 23 Jan 2013

In reply to Dominicandave: They don't 'grow' Something called over eruption can happen if there is no opposing force from the opposite tooth.

TheDrunkenBakers 23 Jan 2013

In reply to alexcollins123:

> (In reply to toad) ...or a sheep

Perhaps a guinea pig?

Billhook 23 Jan 2013

In reply to Dominicandave:

Just look into anyone's mouth whose short of a few teeth.
Do you notice any teeth opposite missing ones which are extraordinarily long??? No, thought not!

deacondeacon 23 Jan 2013

In reply to Jim C: are you sure about that, thought the pad was on the upper, and they had teeth along the lower jaw. I see loads of lower jaws in the countryside with teeth in them. Perhaps they're wolves

Jim C 23 Jan 2013

In reply to deacondeacon:

> (In reply to Jim C) are you sure about that, thought the pad was on the upper, and they had teeth along the lower jaw. I see loads of lower jaws in the countryside with teeth in them. Perhaps they're wolves

You are quite right, I meant top, (and my sister has a sheep farm too!)
That said, when I go to help out in the spring, this is not the end my hand gets into.

The thrust of the post was correct though, as there is no abrasion of the front teeth.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=sheep+teeth+structure&hl=en&clien...