Long, curved, sharp teeth are the common remains of many
rodents, from mice, voles and rats, to larger types, such as
beavers. They are the front teeth, or incisors, and in the
rodent group they keep growing throughout the animal's
life. As the rodent gnaws and nibbles, the teeth are
continually worn down. The layer of
enamel on the front is hardest
and shows least wear, with
the dentine just behind
being eroded faster.
Cutting tip This gives an angle
to the tooth tip,
which forms a self-
sharpening cutting
ridge. Rodents have two
Root end pairs of incisors - one pair
in the top jaw and one pair in
the lower- which distinguishes them
from similar gnawing-nibbling
herbivores, such as rabbits.