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| No laughing matter: bacteria that causes dental disease became more frequent with the introduction of farming, and even more so after the Industrial Revolution. (Picture from: http://www.abc.net.au/) |
The international team of researchers, led by a group at the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide, presented an interesting finding. Apparently early humans from Mesolitikum age have healthier mouth and teeth than modern humans. Secrets of greatness was caused by meat consumption more than wheat.
The researchers extracted DNA from dental plaque from 34 prehistoric skeletons from northern Europe. They trace the changing nature of oral bacteria from the last hunter-gatherer Neolithic age, farmers from the Middle Ages, and modern humans.
"Dental plaque is the only source that is easily accessible to see the human bacteria," said the coordinator of the study, Dr Christina Adler, now associate lecturer in dentistry at the University of Sydney.
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| Late Iron Age/Roman woman showing large dental calculus deposit. (Picture from: http://www.abc.net.au/) |
The researchers found the bacteria composition changed due to the introduction of agriculture products from 150 years ago and during the industrial revolution.
In contrast to early humans and peasants in the Middle Ages, the modern human menu is full of refined carbohydrates and sugar. In effect, the materials that resulted in our oral cavities dominated by bacteria. "What we found was associated with this group of early humans are far less likely to have oral disease because the bacteria less than modern humans," Adler said in a presentation in the current issue of Nature Genetics.
In the meantime, the researchers noted that the bacteria associated with dental cavities, such as S. mutans, became dominant when the industrial revolution. While the frequency of bacteria associated with periodontal disease, such as gingivitis, not much has changed since agriculture era began. *** [DISCOVERY NEWS | ABC SCIENCE NEWS | ISMI WAHID | KORAN TEMPO 4149]
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