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My friend’s brother once told me we humans must eat meat because of the shape of our teeth, which he claimed are good for biting and chewing meat. I replied that we use our brains to make decisions about what to eat and teeth don’t make decisions.
Is it true that human teeth evolved over millions of years to primarily eat meat? The answer is no, because we humans for most of our existence were never carnivores such as lions, tigers, and wolves. Somehow, perhaps because some of our human front teeth, the incisors, appear somewhat sharp relative to the middle and rear teeth which are flatter, there has been an assumption the front teeth are specifically for biting and ripping dead animal parts, which is not true. “In his essay, Dr. Mills notes that not only are human teeth better adapted to a herbivorous diet but so is the entire mouth. Like other herbivores, our teeth are close together and flat, perfect for use on soft materials such as fruits. Even our elongated canines can be found in other apes, who use them primarily for display or defense. This contrasts with the teeth of carnivores which are spaced more widely apart and are more blade-like — ideal for shredding and tearing.
