Dental health and lifestyle in four early mediaeval juvenile populations: Comparisons between urban and rural individuals, and between coastal and inland settlements
Abstract
In this study, dental enamel hypoplasia and caries were both evaluated on 613 nonadult individuals from four early mediaeval Moravian and Frankish skeletal series, who had experienced contrasting environments and lifestyles. The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between these biological traits and living conditions, and how this is manifested in the juvenile dental remains.
Significant differences between populations were found in stress markers, dental lesions and the way these were manifested. Exposure to stressful conditions varies between urban and rural populations and is related to age groups.
Although the children under investigation seem to have had different diets, it is difficult to distinguish the biological contribution (different enamel susceptibility) from the lifestyle contribution (different food, environment) in the formation of caries.