A study reveals that our early meat eating ancestors had healthier teeth.
Ancient people didn’t have American Dental Association approved toothpaste and regular dental check ups, but according to new scientific evidence, the occurrence of tooth decay and gum disease among ancient people was actually less than it is today.
Researchers took dental plaque samples from prehistoric human teeth and compared them to plaque of modern humans.
Human bacteria is preserved in dental plaque, so the scientists could get an accurate picture of what kinds of bacteria lived in the mouths of our ancestors.
They found the type and diversity of bacteria in our ancestors changed with the development of agriculture, and then again during the Industrial Revolution.
Consuming refined carbohydrates and sugars leads to cavity causing bacteria.
Ancient people had a diet that consisted mostly of meat, and the diversity of bacteria in their mouths helped to fight off tooth decay.
Things like mouth wash actually work to destroy the diversity of bacteria in your mouth, leaving the door open for decay causing bacteria to flourish.
Professor Alan Cooper, director of the University of Adelaide Centre for Ancient DNA, who led the study, said the best way to fight tooth decay is to “eat a wide variety of organic locally produced fresh foods.”
