Research on 10,000-year-old birch tar samples from Mesolithic Scandinavia indicates that hunter-gatherers likely had poor oral health, with a high likelihood of gum illness and tooth decay, and reveals insights into their diet plan and way of life. Credit: SciTechDaily.comMesolithic Scandinavians likely dealt with oral health issues, with studies on ancient birch tar revealing signs of gum illness, dental caries, and varied dietary habits.Members of a hunter-gatherer group that resided in south-western Scandinavia during the Mesolithic period– around 10,000 years back– may have been affected by tooth decay and gum illness, according to a study released today (January 18) in Scientific Reports.DNA Analysis of Birch TarEmrah Kırdök, Anders Götherström, and associates sequenced the DNA discovered on 3 pieces of birch tar– a compound made from heated birch bark– that were excavated in the 1990s from Huseby Klev, Sweden and have actually been dated to in between 9,890 and 9,540 years old. They created profiles of the microbial, plant, and animal species DNA discovered on each sample and compared these to those formerly reported for modern human samples, ancient human dental plaque, and a 6,000-year-old chewed birch tar sample.Findings on Oral HealthThe authors found that the microbial profiles of the birch tar samples were most similar to microorganisms found in the modern-day human mouth, in ancient human oral plaque, and in a 6,000-year-old chewed birch tar sample. This suggests that the samples from Huseby Klev were chewed by human beings. They likewise found that they included an increased abundance of several bacteria that are typically related to gum illness– such as Treponema denticola, Streptococcus anginosus, and Slackia exigua– and dental caries– such as Streptococcus sobrinus and Parascardovia denticolens.Based on the relative abundance of microbial types in the birch tar samples and utilizing maker learning designs, the authors estimate that the probability that members of the hunter-gatherer group were impacted by gum disease is between 70 and 80%. The authors recommend that the larger usage of teeth to carry out tasks including gripping, tearing and cutting in ancient hunter-gatherer societies might have increased their danger of coming into contact with microbial species that cause gum disease.Insights into Diet and Material UseIn addition to microbial DNA, the authors recognized DNA series consistent with those from a series of plant and animal types, consisting of hazelnut, apple, mistletoe, red fox, grey wolf, mallard, limpet, and brown trout. These could reflect the materials that members of the hunter-gatherer group chewed prior to the birch tar samples. The authors hypothesize that these products could have included food sources, furs, and bone tools.Conclusions on Mesolithic Oral HealthThe findings highlight the poor oral health of a group of Mesolithic Scandinavian hunter-gatherers and offer insight into their diet, material usage, and regional environment.Reference: “Metagenomic analysis of Mesolithic chewed pitch exposes poor oral health among stone age people” 18 January 2024, Scientific Reports.DOI: 10.1038/ s41598-023-48762-6.
