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Why did Neanderthals use their front teeth like tools?
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Neanderthal
Artist's rendering of Homo neanderthalensis, who ranged from western Europe to Central Asia for some 100,000 years before dying out approximately 30,000 years ago.
Fossil evidence, including heavy dental wear and tooth beveling, indicates that Neanderthals frequently used their front teeth as tools, effectively functioning as a "third hand" for various tasks.1
This practice was so common that in older individuals, the crowns of the front teeth were often worn away entirely, leaving the roots to serve as chewing surfaces. Anthropologists have analyzed the striations on these teeth to determine that Neanderthals were largely right-handed, a trait that appears to have developed early in life. Furthermore, the observed differences in dental chipping and wear patterns between male and female remains suggest that there may have been a division of labour within their social groups.21