Why can tooth loss cause an old elephant to starve?

Elephants possess six sets of cheek teeth throughout their lifetime, which develop from the back of the jaw and move forward to replace worn teeth. As an elephant ages, these teeth are gradually worn down and eventually lost. By the time an elephant reaches approximately 60 years of age, only the final set of molars—or their remains—are present.1

Because elephants are herbivores that require massive amounts of vegetation to sustain their size, they rely on these specialized molars to grind down tough plant matter. When an old elephant loses its final set of teeth, it can no longer effectively process the food necessary for its survival. This inability to chew and ingest sufficient nutrients leads to starvation, which is a recognized cause of death in elderly elephants.12