All of Your Teeth Evolved From a Single Ancestral Tooth in the Age of the Dinosaurs

Anyone who's received a root canal or a lecture from their dentist about flossing probably doesn't appreciate their teeth like they should. But our pearly whites are unlike any other structures in the body, and for that, they deserve some recognition.

In their new video, TED-Ed explains what exactly makes teeth unique. Unlike regular bones, teeth are made of two layers: a hard enamel coating and a strong dentin core. The combination of these two components makes teeth both hard and strong enough to endure a lifetime of wear and tear.

The tooth's tough composition isn't exclusive to humans. All mammals, whether they're meat-tearing cats or grass-munching cows, grow their teeth the same way, and they owe their teeth's existence to a common ancestor.

In the 19th century, paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope hypothesized that the tribosphenic molar, a tooth type that evolved during the dinosaur age, is the root of all modern mammalian teeth. With just a few genetic tweaks made over millennia, the tribosphenic molar has given way to the teeth used by carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores to process their food.

To learn more about the evolution and biology of teeth, check out the video from TED-Ed below.

[h/t TED-Ed]