Abstract
BackgroundWith the aim to study dental pathological lesions in an early Swedish modern population, with special reference to sex variances of dental caries, the prevalence and distribution of dental caries and tooth wear were determined in complete and partial human dentitions from an early modern-time city graveyard (1500–1620) excavated in Gamlestaden, Gothenburg, Sweden.MethodsPartial and complete dentitions were examined through visual inspection and using a dental probe. Pathologies were studied, evaluated and presented by teeth and alveoli.ResultsThe study population consisted of 308 individuals. A total of 4,951 teeth in adults and 1,660 teeth in children were examined. Caries prevalence in the studied population was 55% and the highest prevalence of caries was found among the adults, where 68% of the individuals had at least one carious lesion. Caries experience (DMT > 0) in the entire population was 60%, and among adults caries experience was 76%. Women had significantly higher caries experience than men (p < 0.05). Caries was most prevalent in the molar teeth and least prevalent in the incisors and canines. Significant age-related increases in tooth wear were found, and a positive correlation between wear in molars and incisors (p < 0.001). Other clinical findings were signs of apical lesions, crowding of teeth, aplasia, non-erupted canines and calculus.ConclusionsFindings show that dental pathological lesions affected a majority of the studied population, and indicate that women were more predisposed to dental disease than their male counterparts. Results are discussed from a multi-factorial explanation model including dietary, physiological and cultural etiological factors.
Highlights
With the aim to study dental pathological lesions in an early Swedish modern population, with special reference to sex variances of dental caries, the prevalence and distribution of dental caries and tooth wear were determined in complete and partial human dentitions from an early modern-time city graveyard (1500–1620) excavated in Gamlestaden, Gothenburg, Sweden
Since dental tissues preserves well post mortem due to their low content of organic matter, and dental procedures such as restorations were rare in the past, caries epidemiology can be studied in its original shape [8]
Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of dental pathological lesions, primarily dental caries and tooth wear, in an early modern population from Gothenburg, Sweden (New Lödöse) and analyze the results in a bioarcheological context with special reference to sex differences
Summary
With the aim to study dental pathological lesions in an early Swedish modern population, with special reference to sex variances of dental caries, the prevalence and distribution of dental caries and tooth wear were determined in complete and partial human dentitions from an early modern-time city graveyard (1500–1620) excavated in Gamlestaden, Gothenburg, Sweden. A wide range regarding prevalence of dental caries in archeological contexts has been reported during diverse time periods, but with an increase in occurrence from ancient to modern times. Studies of dental caries in British populations dating from the Iron Age to modern time indicate that the caries disease, in terms of prevalence, distribution and affected sites of the teeth, has undergone little change during the 200-year interval from the Iron Age to late mediaeval times. According to the literature 40–60% of the mediaeval and early modern day Scandinavians had experienced caries, where 5–15% of the teeth had at least one carious lesion [17,18,19,20,21,22]
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