In April 2013, scientists claimed that the breath of prehistoric humans “probably wasn’t that bad”, according to their analyzes. Today, new research proves the opposite. According to a study published by the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), our ancestors who populated the earth 15,000 years ago were already suffering from dental disorders.
Researchers have analyzed skeletons discovered in Morocco, more precisely of hunter-gatherers from the Pigeon cave, near Taforalt. “The majority of the occupants of this cave had cavities and dental abscesses, and they often had toothache and bad breath,” says Dr Isabelle de Groote, professor of anthropology at John Moores University in Liverpool, UK, and co-author of the study.
A diet high in carbohydrates
This discovery is a surprise because scientists thought that the development of cavities appeared with the cultivation of cereals and industrial evolution which favored the development of processed food. However, the skeletons of the Grotte des Pigeons date from a period which precedes this evolution. The hunter-gatherers that were analyzed ate acorns, pine nuts and tree nuts. Containing carbohydrates, these foods are conducive to the appearance of cavities.
The study also calls into question the sedentary lifestyle of this prehistoric population, because to spread, this type of infection requires a certain promiscuity. Among other things, poor dental hygiene would partly explain the high mortality of the populations of the time because it would be linked to systematic health problems, such as cardiovascular diseases, believe the researchers.
