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When you think of early humans, you probably think of the stereotypical characteristics of a caveman. One common characteristic that is actually quite far from the truth is the health of their teeth. In reality, oral health in early humans was relatively decay-free. Archaeologists believe that levels of tooth decay in early civilizations are related to diet more than anything else.
During this time, tooth loss was often a result of dental trauma rather than gum disease and tooth decay we see today. Fortunately, modern techniques in dentistry like dental implants have allowed us to efficiently deal with oral health problems that plague us today. So, why was tooth decay so uncommon during prehistoric times? Dr. Keith Cooper explains more on this topic for his readers here in San Jose, CA.
Tooth Decay and Prehistoric Diet
Like we mentioned before, diet plays an incredibly important role when it comes to the health of your teeth. A study from the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA explored this topic by observing changes in the human diet along with changes in bacteria found in the mouth. Researchers collected data from 34 early European skeletons and saw a shift in oral health with the rise of farming.
Before the development of farming, most humans were hunter-gatherers. Early hunter-gatherers had a diet that consisted of mostly meats and vegetables. As more farming communities developed, the oral microbial community shifted to one associated with oral disease. The increased consumption of grains allowed for a specific cavity-causing bacteria to dominate. These types of bacteria dominated other “friendly” bacteria in the mouth because they could efficiently use carbohydrates. The low diversity of bacteria in the mouth allows for the harmful bacteria to dominate, which makes our mouths in a constant state of disease.
One community that differs from most early communities is a village of people that inhabited a Moroccan cave, Grotte des Pigeons, about 15,000 years ago. This community differs from what you would typically find for other communities given the time period. Researchers found that remains of this community show the worst level of tooth decay in early human history. Remains show that this community had serious problems with cavities and abscesses. These findings baffled researchers at first because this community had lived well before the rise of agriculture.
They found that 49 out of the 52 adults who were buried in the cave had cavities affecting more than half of their surviving teeth. This in addition to Grotte people purposefully yanking out their upper middle teeth as teenagers created serious oral health problems for the community. Researchers aren’t sure why teeth were deliberately yanked out during young adulthood, but some suspect it was a coming-of-age ritual or a sign of mourning. As time went on, most individuals in this community had few teeth left to eat with by their late 30s and 40s.
So, why did the Grotte people have horrible oral health before the rise of farming? Not surprisingly, researchers say it has to do with diet. The diet of Grotte people included a sweet type of acorn that would become soft and sticky when it was cooked along with wild oats and legumes. The heavy reliance on these foods created severe problems with tooth decay in the community.
Modern Oral Health
As you can see, oral health problems are heavily influenced by diet, which would explain the prevalence of poor oral health in modern times. Another major shift occurred in oral health during the industrialization of countries, which lead to an increase in sugar consumption. The modern diet, which includes a lot of sugar and carbohydrates, is the real source of our oral health problems. Director of the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, Alan Cooper, says that addressing our dietary habits can benefit our teeth more than just keeping up our oral hygiene.
“We brush our teeth and we floss, and we think that we’ve got good oral hygiene. But [we’re] completely failing to deal with the underlying problem,” Cooper said.
Contact our Office in San Jose, CA
Although modifying your diet can help boost your oral health, it won’t help if you’re already in the midst of severe oral health problems. If you’re currently dealing with issues such as tooth loss, we recommend treating your missing teeth as soon as possible. Dental implants can restore your missing teeth while addressing other issues with tooth loss including the depletion of the underlying jawbone. Interested in learning more about dental implants? Feel free to browse around this educational infosite to learn more. If you’re ready to begin your dental implant journey, contact our office today to schedule your one-on-one consultation with Dr. Cooper.