Our ancestors also suffered from tooth decay. Even though their diet was not refined sugar and carbonated drinks, but nothing passed them.
The main enemies of the teeth
Traditionally, the main enemy of healthy teeth is called sugar, and fizzy drinks, wine (for therein acid), citrus juices (for the same reason), tomato sauce, etc. All these products do have on the tooth enamel a negative impact, as evidenced by statistics from the world health organization (who).
Worldwide up to 90% of school-age children and nearly 100% of adults suffer from tooth decay.
Severe periodontitis (gum disease) which can lead to tooth loss, is found in 15-20% of people aged 35-44 years.
Among all the inhabitants of the Earth in about 30% of people aged 65-74 years no own teeth.
However, as found by scientists from John Moores University in Liverpool, from cavities and tooth decay suffered by ancient people that had not eaten any refined sugar, no tomato sauce, no wine. Is tooth decay is the eternal companion of the inhabitants of the Earth?
What researchers found?
British researchers studied the remains of Australopithecines, and found that the teeth of our ancestors were in a deplorable state. Was in them, and cavities, and numerous damage to the enamel. Likely to damage teeth have been associated with mechanical injuries: in the diet of the ancient people was much coarse food. And besides, the Australopithecines were eating foods rich in vitamin C (particularly raw root vegetables and citrus), which destroy the enamel.
Our ancestors tried to brush the teeth, but have used “improvised” tools: mainly sticks and branches. They, of course, is much more aggressive than our toothbrushes, so the enamel is scratched and chipped. As a consequence, the formation of quite extensive cavities. Scientists believe that ancient people suffered from toothaches.
Really no difference?
So really there is no difference between the condition of the teeth of ancient and modern people? Is. For example, our ancestors where less likely to suffer from periodontitis (inflammatory gum disease). This is found researchers from king’s College London. They studied 300 skulls found in the graves, conducted in the period from II to IV centuries of our era. And periodontitis was found in 5% of people. Our contemporaries suffer from gum disease more often: 15 to 30% of the population of the developed countries face this problem.
If the power supply does not have a decisive impact on the health of teeth, what else can lead to the fact that our contemporaries the condition of the teeth becoming worse? Important risk factor is Smoking. It increases the risk of tooth loss in men 3.6%, women – 2.5 times (it was established by researchers from the German Institute of nutrition. So, in addition to good oral hygiene and nutrition, it’s necessary to observe bad habits, possibly abandoning them.
So it may be wise to completely abandon the sweet? What is dangerous, you can read in our article.