Prevalence of dental caries and antemortem tooth loss at Pacopampa in an initial stage of social stratification in Peru’s northern highlands

Abstract

This study examined the occurrence of carious lesions and antemortem tooth loss (AMTL) in skeletal remains from Pacopampa, a Formative period site in Peru. We sought to identify variations in carious lesions and AMTL within and between groups to uncover insights into social stratification and subsistence. Targets were permanent teeth and alveoli from skeletal remains from the Pacopampa I (1200–700 BCE) and Pacopampa II (700–400 BCE) phases. In this study, rates of carious lesions and AMTL were analyzed in relation to cultural phase, age, sex, and burial type. The results revealed that rates varied by age (AMTL rates increased with age), sex (females exhibited higher carious and AMTL rates than males), and burial type (individuals buried with precious goods demonstrated lower carious and AMTL rates than other individuals). It is concluded that skeletal remains from the early stages of Andean social stratification revealed significant variations in dental caries and AMTL across cultural and biological factors. This study identified differences in the appearance of carious lesions and AMTL rates during the emergence of social stratification in the Central Andes in the Formative period. Future studies that explore diet using stable isotopic data are needed to test the assumption that variations in dental caries and AMTL are related to dietary patterns.