Diet, Disease and Teeth

Question 1

What can dentition tell us about remains?

Answer 1

Food Consumed in the past
Patterns in consumption
Temporal Changes (over time)
Stages in economic evolution

Question 2

Dental disease varies between…

Answer 2

Ages
Sexes
Geographic location
Temporally (over time)

Question 3

Give the 3 parts of diet reconstruction

Answer 3

Chemical Signatures
Dental Microwear
Dental disease

Question 4

What are chemical signatures used for in diet reconstruction?

Answer 4

Stable C isotopes
Terrestrial (C12) vs Marine (C13) protein
Age of weaning (N14/N15)

Question 5

What are dental microwear marks used for in diet reconstruction?

Answer 5

dental pits and scratches gives diet hardness and dietary abrasiveness

Question 6

What are dental diseases used for in diet reconstruction?

Answer 6

e.g.

caries -> dietary carbohydrates

Question 7

What are the places of dental decay?

Answer 7

Caries
Root surfaces
Crown

Question 8

What are dental caries?

Answer 8

Localised demineralisation of dental hard tissue by bacteria

Question 9

Where are adults more likely to have dental decay?

Answer 9

Root Surfaces (along the gumline) , crown in juveniles

Question 10

3 factors that cause dental decay?

Answer 10

Plaque (oral bacteria, organic substrate)
Bacteria
pH (plaque makes higher aciditiy)

Question 11

Give the 6 influencing factors of dental decay

Answer 11

Carbohydrates
Dental anatomy (nooks and crannies)
Saliva  (anti bacterial factors + pH)
Sex
Age 
Environment (minerals - fluoride, selenium..)

Question 12

What is the carbohydrate that mostly affects dental decay?

Answer 12

Monosaccharides

Question 13

what are the 4 stages of dental decay?

Answer 13

1. Brown/Hyperwhite spot
2. Enamel Erosion
3. Dentine exposure
4. Pulp cavity exposed

Question 14

After the 4 stages of dental decay, what can occur

Answer 14

Abscess - infected tissue can get into the blood supply

Question 15

How would you calculate the % of people with carious teeth?

Answer 15

No. People affected / Overall number of people * 100

Question 16

How would you calculate the % of carious teeth?

Answer 16

no. Carious teeth / no. teeth * 100

Question 17

what % of carious teeth are untreated in low income counties?

Answer 17

90%

Question 18

what % of adults in the UK suffer total tooth loss?

Answer 18

40%

Question 19

give an example of an emerging disease, replacing caries?

Answer 19

‘Chalky enamel’