Where does this come from, and can I check it?

Softer dentine wears back faster than the hard enamel in front. The figure is taken from Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a animals fact?

Yes. It sits on the Animals shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

What else can I read about it?

The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

A beaver's front teeth sharpen themselves

Softer dentine wears back faster than the hard enamel in front The incisors grow continuously, so gnawing wood keeps them at length. Iron rich enamel gives them an orange colour and extra hardness. Beavers also have lips behind the teeth so they can gnaw underwater without swallowing chips. It sits in Mondo's animals collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.

Where this comes from

Britannica

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

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Nature & Animals trivia

More facts like this

The narwhal tusk is actually an overgrown canine toothA narwhal spiral tusk contains millions of sensitive nerve endings.Beaver front teeth are orange because they contain ironIron incorporated into beaver tooth enamel protects against wear from wood.Crocodiles replace every tooth in their jawsLoose teeth are swapped for new ones from a reserve battery in the jaw Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human bodyDense hydroxyapatite crystal mineral matrix protects inner dentin layers An adult human set of permanent teeth numbers thirty-twoIncisors canines premolars and molars chew and break down food mechanically The Dover Strait is 33 kilometres wideThat short gap made the Channel Tunnel possible and keeps ferries busy today

Tags: beavers, teeth, engineering

A beaver's front teeth sharpen themselves: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: Softer dentine wears back faster than the hard enamel in front. The figure is taken from Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a animals fact?: Yes. It sits on the Animals shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.