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Roman gums 'healthier than ours' | Roman gums 'healthier than ours' |
(about 11 hours later) | |
People living in Roman Britain had healthier gums than their modern-day descendants, a feat of archaeological dentistry shows. | People living in Roman Britain had healthier gums than their modern-day descendants, a feat of archaeological dentistry shows. |
A team at King's College London and the Natural History Museum found only 5% of adults had gum disease in the Roman, and certainly pre-toothbrush, era. | A team at King's College London and the Natural History Museum found only 5% of adults had gum disease in the Roman, and certainly pre-toothbrush, era. |
Modern day smoking and type 2 diabetes are blamed for a figure of nearly one in three today. | Modern day smoking and type 2 diabetes are blamed for a figure of nearly one in three today. |
But ancient Britain was certainly not a golden age of gleaming gnashers. | But ancient Britain was certainly not a golden age of gleaming gnashers. |
The smiles of our ancestors were littered with infections, abscesses and tooth decay, the study showed. | The smiles of our ancestors were littered with infections, abscesses and tooth decay, the study showed. |
Grave investigation | Grave investigation |
The research group analysed 303 skulls from a burial ground in Poundbury, in Dorset. The skeletons, mostly of people who died in their 40s, dated from between AD 200 and AD 400. | |
Gum disease starts with inflammation and a bit of bleeding. But it can become more severe and damage the bone and supporting tissue deep inside the gum. | Gum disease starts with inflammation and a bit of bleeding. But it can become more severe and damage the bone and supporting tissue deep inside the gum. |
It means there is a trace of severe gum disease left in the skeletal teeth and jaws, long after the fleshy gums have rotted away. | It means there is a trace of severe gum disease left in the skeletal teeth and jaws, long after the fleshy gums have rotted away. |
Prof Francis Hughes, from the dental institute at King's College London, told the BBC: "The amount of severe gum disease around today is around one third of the population. | Prof Francis Hughes, from the dental institute at King's College London, told the BBC: "The amount of severe gum disease around today is around one third of the population. |
"But much to our surprise these people didn't have a lot of gum disease, but they did have a lot of other dental problems." | "But much to our surprise these people didn't have a lot of gum disease, but they did have a lot of other dental problems." |
He said the findings, published in the British Dental Journal, were evidence that gum disease was about far more than just brushing twice a day. | He said the findings, published in the British Dental Journal, were evidence that gum disease was about far more than just brushing twice a day. |
Smoking is thought to increase the risk of gum disease fivefold. Type 2 diabetes also increases the risk. | Smoking is thought to increase the risk of gum disease fivefold. Type 2 diabetes also increases the risk. |
Handy guide to Latin dental terms | |
Theya Molleson, from the Natural History Museum said: "This study shows a major deterioration in oral health between Roman times and modern England. | Theya Molleson, from the Natural History Museum said: "This study shows a major deterioration in oral health between Roman times and modern England. |
"By underlining the probable role of smoking, especially in determining the susceptibility to progressive periodontitis in modern populations, there is a real sign that the disease can be avoided." | "By underlining the probable role of smoking, especially in determining the susceptibility to progressive periodontitis in modern populations, there is a real sign that the disease can be avoided." |
Chronic pain | Chronic pain |
The skulls of children showed extensive signs of wear and tear due to a diet of abrasive grains and cereals. | The skulls of children showed extensive signs of wear and tear due to a diet of abrasive grains and cereals. |
Prof Hughes said: "We are in a better state overall now because what was clear from the skulls is they had longstanding infections which must have been a source of chronic pain over many years." | Prof Hughes said: "We are in a better state overall now because what was clear from the skulls is they had longstanding infections which must have been a source of chronic pain over many years." |
And half of people had tooth decay, but "having said that, a lot of people were surprisingly dentally healthy". | And half of people had tooth decay, but "having said that, a lot of people were surprisingly dentally healthy". |
Commenting on the results, Prof Ian Needleman, the director of the International Centre for Evidence-Based Oral Health at University College London, told the BBC: "I liked the study a lot. | Commenting on the results, Prof Ian Needleman, the director of the International Centre for Evidence-Based Oral Health at University College London, told the BBC: "I liked the study a lot. |
"I was initially surprised, we all tend to expect a lot of dental disease in the pre-toothbrush age and that is clearly not the case. | "I was initially surprised, we all tend to expect a lot of dental disease in the pre-toothbrush age and that is clearly not the case. |
"People should keep brushing their teeth, but the study shows oral health is more complex and smoking, diabetes and possibly diet make a major contribution." | "People should keep brushing their teeth, but the study shows oral health is more complex and smoking, diabetes and possibly diet make a major contribution." |
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