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According to the Moh's scale of hardness, tooth enamel rates a 5; about the same as the mineral apatite, and less than feldspar or quartz.

However, it's likely that the combination of materials in a tooth gives it a greater structural strength than its middling hardness would indicate. While human jaws can generate only about 80 lbs. of bite force, the jaws of crocodilians and sharks have had bite forces measured in tons. For a tooth to be able to stand up to that kind of pounding, it must be strong indeed.

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15y ago

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