Why can’t we regrow teeth?

Sharks can grow back lost teeth, so it seems like a evolutionary oversight that humans can't.

Published: September 16, 2017 at 1:00 pm

Asked by: Peter Richards, Leamington Spa

Your baby teeth and adult teeth all began developing before you were even born. Our DNA still contains all the genes that sharks use to grow their endless conveyor belt of replacement teeth, but in humans these genes are deactivated by the 20th week of foetal development.

The advantages of keeping the same teeth through adulthood is that they can be securely anchored in the jawbone, which allows us to chew tough plants and grains.

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