When it comes to the materials that make up whale teeth, the outer layer of the toothed whale teeth is composed of cementum cells (a significantly calcified substance) that overlay dentine cells.
Assuming the cementum is removed from the whale’s teeth, you could see the layer of enamel underneath the cementum.
On the other hand, human’ teeth are composed chiefly of enamel, easily visible outside the gum line.
While teeth are present among certain whales, it is essential to note that not all whale species have teeth.
There are two suborders of whales which are referred to as the toothed whale and baleen whale suborders.
Toothed Whale Characteristics
Toothed whales, as the name suggests, are born with teeth, which some species use to grab onto and tear apart the flesh of their prey.
A few species, such as the narwhal, are born with only two teeth, one of which protrudes from the whale’s mouth in the form of a tusk.
Narwhals use their teeth in self-defense or during mating periods to show their dominance.
These marine mammals, however, do not appear to use their teeth for biting or chewing their prey.
Another example of a toothed whale that does not appear to use its teeth for consuming prey is the sperm whale.
Although the sperm whale has teeth in its lower jaw, there are several sperm whales that either lost their teeth or never fully developed them that have been observed successfully hunting their prey and maintaining their diets despite the absence of teeth.
Their ability to maintain their diet regardless of whether or not they possess teeth shows that their teeth may not play a role in helping them hunt food.
Some researchers believe that the teeth these marine mammals possess are used mainly to show aggression and dominance towards other males during mating periods to scare off competition and maximize their reproductive opportunities.
In addition to whales, all species of dolphin and porpoise fall into the toothed whale suborder, and they also possess teeth along with other similar characteristics.
Whales, dolphins, and porpoises are all marine mammals belonging to the same cetacean family due to their evolutionary past, genetics, and shared physiological features.
Baleen Whale Characteristics
While teeth are present in all toothed whale species, baleen whales do not possess any teeth; instead, they are born with baleen plates with bristles attached to them.
The baleen bristles are typically long, thin, and packed together to help the whale filter prey from the water.
Because baleen whales cannot bite or chew their food, they use a method known as filter feeding to capture their prey.
The baleen whales’ bristles act like a filter by allowing water to pass through the spaces of the strands but remain close enough to prevent prey from being able to get out of the tightly packed bristles once they make contact with them.
To capture its prey, the baleen whale will look for a large swarm or group of game and swim towards its target with its mouth open until it can capture enough prey in its mouth.
Depending on the baleen whale, it will either continually skim the water or take a big gulp of a large group of prey and push the excess water out of its mouth using its tongue.
Once the water is expelled from the mouth, the whale will swallow the remaining prey trapped in its bristles.
Note: No dolphin or porpoise species exist within the baleen whale suborder; baleen whales are comprised solely of whales that possess baleen plates.
Dentition
When it comes to the number of teeth a whale has, the number of teeth they are born with varies mainly depending on the whale’s species.
The killer whale, for example (actually a dolphin), can have as many as 56 teeth in its mouth, while the narwhal whale has only one tusk (tooth), which protrudes from its upper jaw.
Some species, such as the sperm whale, only have teeth on their lower jaw, which fit into groves in the upper jaw, and some whales may lose their teeth due to combat, unhealthy living, or deformities.
Depending on the species, some whales can survive without using their teeth and only use their teeth to show aggression toward other whales.
These marine mammals swallow their food whole without biting or chewing their prey.
When it comes to other cetaceans, such as the dolphin species, some dolphins are known to have over 200 individual teeth.
As with whales, they may or may not use their teeth to consume food and show aggression towards other dolphins, especially during mating periods.
When it comes to shaping, their teeth can also vary dramatically from one species to the next.
Most cetaceans are born with canonical or spade-shaped teeth, while the narwhal is born with tusks.
As stated earlier, the materials that make up the outer layer of the toothed whale’s teeth are cementum cells, which overlay dentine cells and cover up the enamel hidden below the cementum.
Conclusion
In conclusion, around 90 known cetacean species (including whales, dolphins, and porpoises) are divided into two suborders known as the toothed and baleen suborders.
Toothed whales are born with teeth made of cementum cells that overlay dentine cells that cover up the whale’s enamel layer.
The number of teeth a whale has can vary from 2 to over 250, depending on the species.
In addition to the whale species, dolphins and porpoises also possess teeth.
Those that don’t have teeth are born with baleen that allows them to filter their prey through the water, much like a fishing net.
Once they’ve captured a mouthful of prey, they push the excess water out of their mouth and swallow their food whole.
Unlike the toothed whale suborder, the baleen whale species is comprised exclusively of whales.