Several children in recent years have died from abscesses or from surgical sedation to repair decayed teeth, dentists say.

CNN: Baby's teeth: What you should know

Its decayed teeth would have limited its chances in the wild, but the lynx is an adaptable animal, and may have been able to survive by preying on small mammals.

BBC: 'Big cat' Canadian lynx was on the loose in UK in 1903

The researchers found that the animal's teeth were badly decayed.

BBC: 'Big cat' Canadian lynx was on the loose in UK in 1903