ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Diphyodont

Hey kiddo! Have you ever noticed how grown-up teeth are different from baby teeth? Well, that's because we have a special name for people and animals who have two sets of teeth in their lifetime. And that name is "diphyodont"!

When we are babies, we have a set of teeth called "deciduous" teeth, better known as "baby teeth". These teeth are smaller and not as strong as the second set of teeth we get later in life called "permanent teeth".

As we grow older, our baby teeth fall out and are replaced by our permanent teeth. This process is called "tooth eruption". By the time we are adults, we should have all 32 of our permanent teeth, unless we have some teeth extracted or have other dental issues that prevent us from having all of them.

So, diphyodonts are basically animals that have two different sets of teeth during their lifetime, just like people. Examples of diphyodonts include dogs, cats, and even some sharks!

Isn't that cool? Now you know what diphyodont means and how it relates to teeth!
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