Sharks typically have between 50 and 300 teeth at any given time, arranged in multiple rows-usually from 5 up to 15 rows per jaw, though some species like the bull shark can have as many as 50 rows with about 7 teeth per row, totaling around 350 teeth simultaneously
. The total number of teeth a shark has over its lifetime can be much higher because sharks continuously lose and replace their teeth. Some sharks can have over 50,000 teeth during their lifetime due to this constant replacement process
. For specific examples:
- Great white sharks have about 50 teeth visible at once (around 28 in the upper jaw and 25 in the lower jaw), but with multiple rows behind these, they can go through approximately 30,000 teeth in their lifetime
- Sandbar sharks have about 336 teeth spread over 6 rows.
- Zebra sharks can have up to 1,014 teeth across 13 rows
Shark teeth do not have roots and fall out easily, often within a week, but new teeth move forward quickly to replace lost ones, ensuring sharks always have a full set for hunting and feeding
