The mouth of a young sea otter isn’t a particularly gnarly place. They don’t have many teeth—somewhere between six and 10 at birth, including four canines and two incisors—and they tend to be pretty pristine, like porcelain. But things go downhill fast. Aging sea otters have plaque-like buildup around their gums. Their teeth may get stubby and nubby from years of chewing on hard-shelled food. Or the teeth may be pitted, fractured, or knocked out entirely, leaving behind exposed roots and fostering bacteria that lead to a foul, septic stench….
