The average human bite is moderately strong: roughly 120–170 pounds per square inch (PSI), with higher forces at the molars than at the front teeth. That is easily enough to break skin, damage soft tissue, and even crack bone in some circumstances.
Typical bite strength
- Average overall bite force is usually reported around 150–160 PSI, though studies and summaries place a common range from about 120 up to roughly 200 PSI.
- The front teeth (incisors) generate lower pressure, often quoted around 50–60 PSI, while the molars at the back can exceed 100 PSI because they have a larger contact area and stronger leverage.
Maximum and variability
- Individual maximum bite forces measured in lab settings can reach several hundred pounds of force (hundreds of Newtons), and rare extreme measurements approach 900–1,000 PSI in exceptional cases.
- Bite strength varies with jaw size, muscle development, sex, age, dental health, and how teeth meet; well-aligned, healthy teeth and strong jaw muscles allow higher forces.
How it compares to animals
- Humans are far weaker biters than many large carnivores and reptiles: average dogs often reach around 230–250 PSI, lions about 650 PSI, hyenas over 1,000 PSI, and large crocodiles several thousand PSI.
- Even other primates like chimpanzees and gorillas can bite much harder than humans, sometimes many times our typical bite pressure, reflecting different diets and skull structures.
Practical danger
- Human bites are medically significant not just because of force but because human mouths carry many bacteria; even moderate-force bites that break the skin can lead to serious infection if not cleaned and treated.
- On hands, ears, and faces, a strong bite can tear tissue, damage tendons or joints, and occasionally fracture small bones, so they are treated as true medical injuries rather than minor scratches.
