question: How do animals teeth not rot away if they can not "brush" them like humans?
comment: They can, to an extent. But the diets that animals live on don't contain the kind of refined sugars we're used to. If you compare the teeth of people before sugar plantations and refinery became a thing, to those after, you'll notice a huge difference. Refined sugars are a superfood for bacteria, and that means they produce more of the plaque and other chemicals that lead to decay.
passages: The mesowear method or tooth wear scoring method is a quick and inexpensive process of determining the lifelong diet of a taxon (grazer or browser) and was first introduced in the year 2000.
  
  The mesowear technique can be extended to extinct and also extant animals.
   Dental caries (non-human)
  
  Dental caries, also known as tooth decay, is uncommon among companion animals. The bacteria "Streptococcus mutans" and "Streptococcus sanguis" cause dental caries by metabolising sugars.
  
  The term "feline cavities" is commonly used to refer to feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions, however, sacchrolytic acid-producing bacteria (the same responsible for Dental plaque) are not involved in this condition.
  
  Section::::In dogs.
   In dogs, the teeth are less likely than humans to form dental cavities because of the very high pH of dog saliva, which prevents enamel from demineralizing. Sometimes called cuspids, these teeth are shaped like points (cusps) and are used for tearing and grasping food
  
  Section::::Mammals.:Cetaceans.
   An Old World example of a gummivore is fork-marked lemurs, whose diet is about 90% gum exudates from a tree’s branches or trunk. Lemurs have a “tooth comb”, made up of the lower incisors and canines. Fork-marked lemurs have more robust toothcombs than most other lemurs and use these specialized teeth to gouge the bark from the surface of a tree. Fork-marked lemurs also consume the gum seeping from beneath the bark of trees, via spaces created by beetles. Their long, slim tongue enables them to access these openings in the bark. They also possess a symbiotic bacterium that assists in the digestion of the gum, starting the process in the mouth. (Primatol, A.)
   Ruminating animals have various physiological features that enable them to survive in nature. One feature of ruminants is their continuously growing teeth. During grazing, the silica content in forage causes abrasion of the teeth. This abrasion is compensated for by continuous tooth growth throughout the ruminant's life, as opposed to humans or other nonruminants, whose teeth stop growing after a particular age. Most ruminants do not have upper incisors; instead, they have a thick dental pad to thoroughly chew plant-based food. Another feature of ruminants is the large ruminal storage capacity that gives them the ability to consume feed rapidly and complete the chewing process later. This is known as rumination, which consists of the regurgitation of feed, rechewing, resalivation, and reswallowing. Rumination reduces particle size, which enhances microbial function and allows the digesta to pass more easily through the digestive tract. 
   BULLET::::- Levels of stable isotopes in their tooth enamel suggest an aquatic diet and environment (carbon and oxygen) and fresh or brackish water (strontium).
  
  BULLET::::- Their spongy bone structure is similar to that of cetaceans.
   Oral disease is not a new problem for cats. A study performed by O'Neill et al. (2014), discovered the same feline dental diseases found today, in the skulls of cats living fifty years ago. This highlights that felines are predisposed to poor oral health, a trait which is likely due to their origins as a desert species and the typical diet they consume. It is important to note that purebred cats are not at a higher risk of developing oral diseases when compared to mixed breeds. This further supports the supposition that the lifestyle of the cat plays the largest role on dental health.
   The results of a study of dental microwear on tooth enamel for specimens of the carnivore species from LaBrea pits, including dire wolves, suggest that these carnivores were not food-stressed just before their extinction. The evidence also indicated that the extent of carcass utilization (i.e., amount consumed relative to the maximum amount possible to consume, including breakup and consumption of bones) was less than among large carnivores today. These finding indicates that tooth breakage was related to hunting behavior and the size of prey.
  
  Section::::Adaptation.:Climate impact.
   Section::::Tartar and dental abrasion.
   Although rarely seen in cats, the incidence of caries in dogs has been estimated at approximately 5%. Dogs are less likely than humans to have tooth decay due to the very high pH of dog saliva, which prevents an acidic environment from forming and the subsequent demineralization of enamel which would occur. In the event that tooth decay does occur (usually from trauma), dogs can receive dental fillings just as humans do.
   Tooth decay is caused by certain types of acid-producing bacteria which cause the most damage in the presence of fermentable carbohydrates such as sucrose, fructose, and glucose. The resulting acidic levels in the mouth affect teeth because a tooth's special mineral content causes it to be sensitive to low pH. Depending on the extent of tooth destruction, various treatments can be used to restore teeth to proper form, function, and aesthetics, but there is no known method to regenerate large amounts of tooth structure. Instead, dental health organizations advocate preventative and prophylactic measures, such as regular oral hygiene and dietary modifications, to avoid dental caries.
   The human mouth contains around 500 to 1,000 different types of bacteria with various functions as part of the human flora and oral microbiology. About 100 to 200 species may live in them at any given time. Individuals that practice oral hygiene have 1,000 to 100,000 bacteria living on each tooth surface, while less clean mouths can have between 100 million and 1 billion bacteria on each tooth. While some of the bacteria in our mouths are harmful and can cause serious illness, much of our oral bacteria are actually beneficial in preventing disease. Streptococci make up a large part of oral bacteria.
   Zinc compounds, more specifically zinc ascorbate, also play a role in preventing plaque accumulation due to antimicrobial activity. Zinc salts inhibit bacterial growth by binding to sulfur to control plaque formation, as well as reduce foul oral odours. However, research has only been performed on cats, so the same evidence may not be directly applicable to dogs.
   There is a long history of dental caries. Over a million years ago, hominins such as Paranthropus suffered from cavities. The largest increases in the prevalence of caries have been associated with dietary changes.
   Dental abrasion or tooth wear is common in ferrets, and is caused by mechanical wear of the teeth. Eating manufactured dry food (kibble) will erode (due to the hard and extremely dry kibble) the carnassial teeth of the ferret, the wear from the eating kibble can become significant with old age (after three to five years). If teeth are overly ground down, a ferret cannot use them as scissors to eat raw meat. Tooth erosion eventually affects a ferret's ability to eat solid food. Dental abrasion can also be caused by excessive chewing on fabrics or toys, and cage biting. If the ferret engages in these activities a lot, it might be a sign of boredom, and more stimulating activities (such as play) should rectify the situation.
   Most species are omnivorous, but fruit is the preferred food among all but some human groups. Chimpanzees and orangutans primarily eat fruit. When gorillas run short of fruit at certain times of the year or in certain regions, they resort to eating shoots and leaves, often of bamboo, a type of grass. Gorillas have extreme adaptations for chewing and digesting such low-quality forage, but they still prefer fruit when it is available, often going miles out of their way to find especially preferred fruits. Humans, since the neolithic revolution, consume mostly cereals and other starchy foods, including increasingly highly processed foods, as well as many other domesticated plants (including fruits) and meat. Hominid teeth are similar to those of the Old World monkeys and gibbons, although they are especially large in gorillas. The dental formula is . Human teeth and jaws are markedly smaller for their size than those of other apes, which may be an adaptation to eating cooked food since the end of the Pleistocene.
   In horse teeth, enamel and dentin layers are intertwined, which increases the strength and decreases the wear rate of the teeth. Contrary to popular belief, horse teeth do not "grow" indefinitely. Rather, existing tooth erupts from below the gumline. Horses start to "run out" of erupting tooth in their early 30's and in the rare case they live long enough, the roots of their teeth will fall out completely in the middle to latter part of their third decade.
   Pecora do not have upper, not many lower cutting fore-teeth, hoofed, cloven feet, and feed on herbs which they pluck, chewing the cud; four stomachs, a paunch for macerating and ruminating food, a bonnet for reticulating and receiving it, an omasus or maniplies of numerous folds for digesting it, and an abomasus or caille, fasciate, for giving it acescency and preventing putrefaction.
  
  BULLET::::- "Camelus"
  
  BULLET::::- "Camelus dromedarius" – dromedary camel
  
  BULLET::::- "Camelus bactrianus" – domestic Bactrian camel
  
  BULLET::::- "Camelus glama" – domestic llama
  
  BULLET::::- "Camelus pacos" – domestic alpaca
  
  BULLET::::- "Moschus"
  
  BULLET::::- "Moschus moschiferus" – Siberian musk deer
  
  BULLET::::- "Cervus"
   Section::::Ivory.
  
  Ivory is the tusks and unusually large or projected teeth of animals, such as elephants and walruses. It consists of dentin and made up of both organic (for growth and repair) and inorganic (rigidity and strength) components. Due to it being organic and inorganic the ivory is extremely sensitive and reactive 
  
  Section::::Ivory.:Types of ivory.
  
  Understanding the diverse types of ivory is important as it can impact the type of conservation and restoration work that is done. It can also determine the materials that are harmful or safe to use on the ivory.
  
  Section::::Ivory.:Types of ivory.:Elephant and mammoth.
   Section::::Preventive medicine.:Dentistry.
  
  Dental disease is one of the most common diseases in dogs. Accumulation of plaque and subsequently tartar leads to gingivitis and then periodontitis (gum disease). Periodontitis leads to loss of the bony attachment of the teeth and tooth loss. Preventive measures include tooth brushing, providing an appropriate diet (avoiding tinned and other soft foods and providing dental chew treats) and dental scaling and polishing. Cavities are uncommon in dogs.
  
  Section::::Preventive medicine.:Parasite medication.
  
  Once-a-month topical products or ingestible pills are the most commonly used products to kill and prevent future parasite infestations.
  
  Section::::Nutrition and obesity.
   Pain originating from dental problems is very rarely recognized by owners or professionals. Seldom will an animal become anorexic due to a dental problem. The exception to this is in the case of severe soft tissue injury, for example chronic gingivostomatitis. In general dental pain is a chronic pain, and it is only after treatment that an owner reports how much better their pet is doing. Pain is often mistaken for a pet just getting old.
  
  Very few clients examine their pets’ teeth unless they are carrying out daily home care, so actual dental problems often go unnoticed. 
  
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   BULLET::::- Pinney, Chris C. (1992) "The illustrated veterinary guide for dogs, cats, birds & exotic pets", 1st ed., Blue Ridge Summit, PA: Tab Books
  
  BULLET::::- Randall-Bowman, [n.i.] (2004) "Gummed Out: Young Horses Lose Many Teeth, Vet Says", archived webpage, accessed 8 October 2007]
  
  BULLET::::- Ross, Michael H., Kaye, G.I. and Pawlina, W. (2006) "Histology: a text and atlas", 5th ed., Philadelphia; London: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins,
  
  BULLET::::- Springer, Shelley C. and Annibale, D.J. (2006) "Kernicterus", eMedicen online, accessed 7 October 2007
   Although daily brushing provides the best preventative measure, feeding a dental diet or using dental chews for dogs is an effective approach pet owners can take to help prevent and control accumulation of plaque and tartar to avoid consequences of severe periodontal disease. Dental diets consider many aspects of oral health such as inflammation, bone health and physical and chemical characteristics of the kibble when being formulated. Some diets, chews and/or other oral products may also strive to receive approval by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) for validation of their product’s claims.
  
  Section::::Bone health.
   Some ungulates completely lack upper incisors and instead have a dental pad to assist in browsing. It can be found in camels, ruminants, and some toothed whales; modern baleen whales are remarkable in that they have baleen instead to filter out the krill from the water. On the other spectrum teeth have been evolved as weapons or sexual display seen in pigs and peccaries, some species of deer, musk deer, hippopotamuses, beaked whales and the Narwhal, with its long canine tooth.
  
  Section::::Characteristics.:Anatomy.:Cranial appendages.
   Feline dental health diets are pet foods designed to prevent oral diseases in cats. Many commercial and prescription pet food manufacturers offer dental specific diets aimed to improve the oral health of adult domestic cats.
  
  Section::::Dental health effects on overall feline health.
  
  Managing oral health is important for maintaining optimum health status in cats. Periodontal diseases are prevalent in cats of all ages, and have the potential to further develop into local and/or systemic diseases. If oral hygiene is not supported and periodontal disease develops, this will affect the overall health of the animal.
  
presuppositions: Animals teeth do not rot away.
corrections: Animals teeth actually do rot away, however they rot to a lesser extent than humans' as their diets don't contain the kind of refined sugars humans are used to.
raw_presuppositions: Animals teeth do not rot away. Animals teeth do not rot away.
raw_corrections: Animals teeth actually do rot away, however they rot to a lesser extent than humans' as their diets don't contain the kind of refined sugars humans are used to. Animals teeth rot away to a lesser extent than humans' as their diets don't contain the kind of refined sugars humans are used to.