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Hunter-gatherer diet caused tooth decay
Past Horizons ^ | Tuesday, January 7, 2014 | Natural History Museum

Posted on 01/12/2014 3:03:25 PM PST by SunkenCiv

...The results published in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) also suggest tooth decay was more prevalent in earlier societies than previously estimated. The results also suggest that the hunter-gatherer society studied may have developed a more sedentary lifestyle than previously thought, relying on nut harvesting.

Dental disease was thought to have originated with the introduction of farming and changes in food processing around 10,000 years ago. A greater reliance on cultivated plant foods, rich in fermentable carbohydrates, resulted in rotting teeth.

High level of decay
Now, the analysis of 52 adult dentitions from hunter-gatherer skeletons found in a cave in Taforalt, Morocco dating from between 15,000 and 13,700 years ago suggests people suffered tooth decay in much earlier times. Evidence of decay was found in more than half of the teeth that were intact, with only three skeletons showing no sign of cavities...

Archaeological excavations at the site in Taforalt, including elaborate human burial areas, showed evidence of methodical harvesting and processing of wild foods, including sweet acorns, pine nuts and land snails. Museum human origins expert Dr Louise Humphrey said a staple diet of edible acorns could have been the cause of the dental disease...
Pulling teeth
Dr Humphrey also speculated that these Pleistocene hunter-gatherers may have pulled out their own teeth. Skeletons at Taforalt reveal that most people practiced tooth evulsion, whereby one or two healthy incisors were deliberately removed in late childhood or early adulthood. This would have been for cultural reasons, such as indicating group affiliation or as a rite of passage. The same skills could have been used to extract diseased teeth and relieve dental pain.

(Excerpt) Read more at pasthorizonspr.com ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: agriculture; ancientautopsies; animalhusbandry; autopsies; dentistry; dentition; diet; dietandcuisine; godsgravesglyphs; huntergatherers; morocco; pleistocene; taforalt; teeth; toothdecay
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Severe, and painful, tooth decay in a young adult hunter-gatherer from Taforalt, Morocco. A central incisor was probably pulled out for cultural reasons © Isabelle De Groote.

Severe, and painful, tooth decay in a young adult hunter-gatherer from Taforalt, Morocco. A central incisor was probably pulled out for cultural reasons © Isabelle De Groote.

1 posted on 01/12/2014 3:03:26 PM PST by SunkenCiv
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To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; decimon; 1010RD; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; ...

2 posted on 01/12/2014 3:05:52 PM PST by SunkenCiv (http://www.freerepublic.com/~mestamachine/)
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I thought this one was going to be postworthy, but it’s just another advocacy for surrendering sovereignty to the world despotate.

The Ancient Human Hunter Changed the World
http://popular-archaeology.com/issue/12012013/article/the-ancient-human-hunter-changed-the-world


3 posted on 01/12/2014 3:07:26 PM PST by SunkenCiv (http://www.freerepublic.com/~mestamachine/)
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To: SunkenCiv

I’m guessing a total lack of dental hygiene might have played a part as well.


4 posted on 01/12/2014 3:08:59 PM PST by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: cripplecreek

Plus, it all depends on what you are hunting and gathering. Seems obvious.


5 posted on 01/12/2014 3:14:42 PM PST by JimSEA
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To: cripplecreek
gravel and grit in their food. Using a stone mortar and pestle were big contributors, if I recall my Anthro 101
6 posted on 01/12/2014 3:16:03 PM PST by llevrok (Obama 2008 : "If you vote for me, you can keep your country")
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To: SunkenCiv

“Cavity creeps! We make holes in the teeth!”


7 posted on 01/12/2014 3:21:39 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist (15 years of FReeping! Congratulations EEE!!)
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To: SunkenCiv

Not eating could have prevented this.


8 posted on 01/12/2014 3:23:08 PM PST by Flag_This (Liberalism: Kills countries dead.)
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To: Flag_This

If only their streams and lakes had been flouridated!


9 posted on 01/12/2014 3:27:29 PM PST by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; me = independent conservative)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

10 posted on 01/12/2014 3:28:43 PM PST by EEGator
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To: JimSEA
Plus, it all depends on what you are hunting and gathering.

Skittles and Mountain Dew?

11 posted on 01/12/2014 3:29:45 PM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: SunkenCiv

12 posted on 01/12/2014 3:37:19 PM PST by Pharmboy (Democrats lie because they must.)
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To: SunkenCiv

13 posted on 01/12/2014 3:42:04 PM PST by ClearCase_guy (Anti-Complacency League! Baby!)
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To: Jack Hydrazine
"If only their streams and lakes had been flouridated!"

But what about our P.O.E.? Gen. Jack D. Ripper is gravely concerned.

14 posted on 01/12/2014 3:42:59 PM PST by Flag_This (Liberalism: Kills countries dead.)
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To: SunkenCiv
Dental disease was thought to have originated with the introduction of farming and changes in food processing around 10,000 years ago.

So, prior to that nobody suffered from tooth decay???????

As for the hunters and gatherers, they suffered tooth decay because they didn't brush regularly after every meal nor did they floss..........

NO, I'm not a dentist but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.........

15 posted on 01/12/2014 3:47:03 PM PST by Hot Tabasco (Miss Muffit suffered from arachnophobia.....)
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To: SunkenCiv

Wow, how unsurprising!


16 posted on 01/12/2014 3:59:35 PM PST by Tax-chick (Tell the mad chameleon he's not welcome anymore.)
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To: SunkenCiv
Skeletons at Taforalt reveal that most people practiced tooth evulsion, whereby one or two healthy incisors were deliberately removed in late childhood or early adulthood.

Is this style making a comeback?


17 posted on 01/12/2014 4:02:03 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: cripplecreek
This has been showing up in vegan/vegetarian groups.

There's more in play beyond a possible ADA promotion of the obvious...

18 posted on 01/12/2014 4:26:47 PM PST by Calvin Locke
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To: cripplecreek

Somehow, I believe that was it.


19 posted on 01/12/2014 4:26:54 PM PST by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
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To: cripplecreek

Good guess I’d think.


20 posted on 01/12/2014 6:30:58 PM PST by Blue Collar Christian (Vote Democrat. Once you're OK with killing babies the rest is easy. <BCC><)
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