Recent decades of human life have been recorded in writing, but how can we learn more about our ancestors who lived before recorded history? We can start by taking a look at their teeth! Archaeologists and other researchers have noticed numerous tell-tale signs of our ancient past when evaluating the teeth of skeletal remains. For instance, wear patterns indicate people in certain areas around the globe chewed on herb sprigs and soft twigs from trees to clean their teeth. Some skeletons reveal early attempts at advanced dentistry procedures like seashells, rocks, and other items inserted into the gums to function as an early form of dental implant supported tooth replacement. Recent research has delved into the secret stories being told by neanderthal dental plaque. Thanks in part to a lack of preventive dentistry, these skeletal remains that can be dated back tens of thousands of years actually have a lot to tell us.
What Dental Plaque Says About the Neanderthal People
Recently, a large group of researchers from around the globe have pooled their knowledge and resources to study the dental plaques of two sets of ancient skeletal remains. One set of these neanderthal remains was found in Spain’s El Sidron Cave and the other in Belgium’s Spy Cave. Both sets of remains were evaluated and the findings proved to be very interesting when viewed through our modern eyes. One of the most interesting results indicated that Spy Cave neanderthals mainly consumed meats whereas El Sidron Cave dwellers were almost entirely vegetarian. Another unique finding indicated that an ailing inhabitant of the El Sidron Cave was self medicating by consuming parts of poplar trees, which contain pain relieving salicylic acids.
The Stories Our Teeth Will Tell
If your own smile was discovered after tens of thousands of years, it’s hard to say what story it would tell. We may feel it’s safe to assume that, taken as a whole, people in this era will have the healthiest smiles ever before seen. However, it’s interesting to consider what the continuing innovations in dental care will mean for those generations that come after us. Will our smiles seem as foreign to future archaeologists as neanderthal smiles seem to us?
Meet Dr. Kassem
At the Williamstown dental office of Dr. Wael Kassem, we’re dedicated to helping you care for your smile. With regular preventive appointments at iSmile Dental Arts, you’ll be sure to have a great story to tell about modern dental care, if someone decides to take a look at your teeth 50,000 years from now! Don’t hesitate to give our team a call with any questions or to schedule an appointment. You can also visit our blog regularly to learn more about the dentistry services available from our team.
