Dental evolution in prehistoric Native Americans of the Ohio valley area. I. Wear and pathology

Bibliographic Data

ID12371457
AuthorsPaul W Sciulli (The Ohio State University, corresponding author)
Year1997
Volume7
Issue5
Pages507-524
Publication date1997-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Osteoarchaeology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1047-482X • E-ISSN: 1099-1212
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/(sici)1099-1212(199709/10)7:5<507::aid-oa371>3.0.co;2-h
OpenAlexW2025249482
LanguageEN
Citations received31
References cited17

Temporal patterns of tooth wear rates (loss of crown height) and dental pathologies (caries, abscess, and tooth loss) are estimated for 40 Native American populations of the upper Ohio River valley area ranging in time from the Late Archaic (ca. 3500 years BP) to Protohistoric times (ca. 350 years BP). Within this time span three ‘dental cultural ecological environments’ are recognized: high rates of wear, low frequencies of pathology (Late Archaic), low rates of wear, low frequencies of pathologies (Woodland, ca. 2500–1000 years BP), and low rates of wear and high frequencies of pathologies (Late Prehistoric, ca. post-1000 years BP). Phenotypic selection acting to maintain tooth size is associated with pre-ceramic, hunter–fisher–gatherers in the first dental environment. The introduction and development of ceramics at the end of the Late Archaic is associated with significant reduction in tooth wear rates and reduction in size of maxillary teeth, most likely due to selection. From at least the Middle Woodland period (ca. 2000 years BP) to the end of the time sequence considered, tooth size in Ohio Valley Native Americans was stable, with minor fluctuations due to genetic drift. At present there is no evidence that major changes in diet at the beginning of the Late Prehistoric period affected tooth size, even though the frequencies of dental pathologies increased dramatically. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Archaeology · Biology · Crown (dentistry · Geography · Oral health · Prehistory · Tooth loss · Tooth wear · Woodland · Dental Trauma and Treatments · Dentistry · Forensic and Genetic Research · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · Medicine · Ecology

Tools

Open DOISci-Hub