Koalas Tooth Decay through its Abrasive Diet

Tooth-decaying is one of the most common occurrences within koalas and their abrasive diet is chiefly responsible for it. Koalas are primarily dependent on the Eucalyptus leaves as part of their diet. These leaves are so much abrasive and hard for the koalas' tooth that their loss and decaying become the ultimate outcome after its continuous consumption (entire lifespan).

The koalas' diet (the eucalyptus leaves) is so hard and abrasive that it is primarily responsible for tooth-decaying within koalas.

Sadly; there are no other alternatives for koalas and they only have to eat more and more Eucalyptus leaves. Apart from being abrasive, the Eucalyptus leaves contain poisonous and acidic compounds which are also responsible for tooth decaying within koalas. Let's have a profound analysis of koalas' diet (the Eucalyptus leaves) and its impact on tooth-decaying problems within koalas.

Koalas abrasive diet i.e., Eucalyptus foliage is responsible for tooth-decaying within koalas. — Koalas' abrasive diet which includes the Eucalyptus foliage is responsible for the tooth-decaying witin koalas. Photo courtesy of Liger Zoos

Koalas Tooth Loss through abrasive diet. — Tooth Loss is very common within Koala and it is specifically because of their abrasive diet that specifically comprises of toxic compounds. This Picture belongs to Frank Wouter

Remember; koalas are not always vulnerable to tooth-decaying throughout their lives. Tooth-decaying develops with the passage of time and almost all koalas always have to suffer from tooth-decaying within their lifespan. This means that young and the adult koalas within their prime do not suffer from any tooth-loss or tooth-decaying while the older koalas usually suffer from tooth-decay.

Tooth-decaying is hardly an issue for the younger and adult koalas in their prime. However; tooth-decaying start occurring within older koalas and it continues to increase with the passage of time.

Once the process of tooth-decaying starts within koalas, it continues to increase as koalas have to eat more and more Eucalyptus leaves to fulfill their energy requirements. This is the key reason that the older koalas consume 41% more Eucalyptus leaves as compared to the younger koalas. Remember; only finely chewed food particles release energy for koalas during the process of digestion while bigger leaves are passed on for excretion.

Tooth-decaying is not an issue for the younger koalas. — Only the younger koalas or the koalas at their prime age are save from tooth-decaying. Onwards at the elderly age, tooth-decaying becomes a common scenario for koalas. Photo courtesy of Liger Zoos

Young Koalas have good tooth. — Young and mature Koalas have been hardly found having tooth Decaying problem. The tooth decaying problem within the Koalas is usually common within the older koalas. This Picture belongs to Sid Kites

When koalas chew the Eucalyptus leaves, the leaves rub as sand paper against their teeth and with the passage of time (in the older age), the koalas' teeth get worn down. Even a stage comes within the lives of koalas that their teeth are worn down to stumps and their chewing ability is almost gone.

Eucalyptus leaves act like sand paper for koalas while chewing. This keeps on reducing koalas' teeth and worn them down to stumps.

A koala with worn down teeth is unable to chew properly and convert any Eucalyptus foliage into finely chewed contents. This is where the starvation issue prevails within koalas and they become weaker and weaker and finally die because of lack of energy within their bodies.

Chewing Eucalyptus leaves is like chewing a sand-paper. — Chewing the Euclayptus leaves is equivalent to chewing the sand paper which adversely impacts degradation of teeth within koalas. Photo courtesy of Liger Zoos

Koalas tooth decay is associated with Koalas diet. — Diet is the core reason that triggers tooth decay within Koalas. This picture belongs to Robot Polisher

Even worst; koalas have to rechew their food to have them converted into finely chewed particles for better digestion and energy extraction from the Eucalyptus leaves. This process is also almost similar to rumination within other herbivores. Koalas store finely chewed food within their hindgut for the extraction of energy through the process of fermentation.

The impact of koalas' abrasive diet doubles, when koalas have to rechew or regurgitate the Eucalyptus leaves during the process of Merycism.

This process is called Merycism within koalas as they tend to regurgitate the food from their stomach for proper digestion. The Regurgitating of food (always the Eucalyptus leaves) also severely impacts the wear and tear of their teeth which ultimately results in tooth-decaying within koalas in the older age.

Koalas' regurgitating also contributes towards tooth-decaying — Regurgitating of the Eucalyptus leaves to convert them into finely chewed contents also contributes towards the tooth-decaying within koalas. It is a must do process for koalas and koalas suffer tooth-decaying because of it during the old age. Photo courtesy of Liger Zoos

Koalas Tooth Decay through Eucalyptus Leaves. — Koalas always rely on Eucalyptus leaves as their food. This food is full of harmful elements and compounds that are not good for the teeth of any organism. The same is true about Koalas as well. This Picture specifically belongs to Stephan Bernart

Apart from being abrasive, the Eucalyptus leaves in general are not good for teeth when eaten directly. Even though small doses of the Eucalyptus oils have been used to remove harmful bacteria from teeth but their direct chewing have been known to adversely impact the teeth. Eucalyptus leaves contain a lot of compounds which can result in tooth-decaying of the other animals.

Presence of the strong oils and compounds within the Eucalyptus leaves have the ability to severely impact the teeth of older koalas.

However; the young koalas have the natural ability to compensate the adverse effects of the Eucalyptus leaves. On the other hand; older koalas are not fortunate to have this luxury and they suffer from teeth-decaying at the ending lifecycle of their lives.

Eucalyptus oils and compounds are also responsible for tooth-decaying within koalas. — Eucalyptus oils and compounds are also responsible for the tooth-decaying within elderly koalas. Younger koalas have the natural ability to compensate the tooth-decaying. Photo courtesy of Liger Zoos

Tooth Decay within Koalas is life-threatening. Having no tooth means koalas will fail to extract nutrition from the Eucalyptus leaves. Therefore, the Koalas will simply die. This picture belongs to Sid Kites

Lastly; despite eating the Eucalyptus leaves which are very abrasive, poisonous, lower in energy and very bad for teeth, koalas surprisingly maintain a reasonable lifespan of 13 years on average. Furthermore; their tooth decaying only gets worst during the last few years of their lives.

Surprisingly; despite having abrasive diet, koalas still maintain a reasonable lifespan of 13 years on average. Over the span of millions of years koalas have perfectly adapted themselves against the Eucalyptus leaves.

This also means that koalas have the natural ability to compensate the damage of the Eucalyptus leaves on their teeth. Remember koalas are living on Eucalyptus leaves for millions of years. Their survival by living on abrasive diet also shows their unique adaptability.