David K. Whittaker

Caries prevalence in the dentition of a late eighteenth century population

Remains of 92 individuals of known age and a further 71 of unknown age were selected from nearly 1000 skulls exhumed from the crypt of Christ Church, Spitalfields. Ante- and post-mortem tooth loss was assessed and caries prevalence and distribution were studied. Post-mortem loss of teeth was highest in the oldest age group, suggesting that greater care is needed during exhumation to minimize this loss. Juvenile caries levels were high, especially on occlusal surfaces of deciduous molars. Approximal caries was less frequently seen and buccal and lingual sites were only slightly less frequently involved than approximal sites. Root caries was rare, even in the oldest age group. There were differences in prevalence and distribution between males and females but not between those of English and French origins. Caries levels were generally higher in those born after 1750. It is suggested that factors other than diet and oral hygiene may have influenced caries prevalence in this population.

Racial variations in the extent of tooth root translucency in ageing individuals

One hundred and ninety-eight single-rooted teeth from individuals aged 21-90 yr of Caucasian, Malay, Chinese Malay and Indian Malay origin were studied. Single or serial longitudinal sections of extracted teeth were cut following dye imbibition of patent dentinal tubules. The extent of sclerosis of apical dentinal tubules was assessed and correlated with the age of the individual. Correlation with age was higher in the Caucasian than the Malay races and within the Malaysian racial groups correlation with age was highest in the Malays and lowest in the Chinese. It is concluded that factors other than age may be important in the formation of sclerotic apical dentine in teeth of different racial origin. The effect of racial origin should be considered when using sclerosis as a means of age determination in forensic cases.

The effects of dental wear on third molar eruption and on the curve of Spee in human archaeological dentitions.

The abrasiveness of food is a key determinant in the rate of physiological attrition (dental wear) in humans. With increasing food processing through time, the rate of physiological dental wear in human teeth has decreased markedly. Many consider such wear to be beneficial to oral health and that insufficient wear may result in impaction of the third molars. If enhanced extraoral food processing provides an evolutionary advantage, then it is possible that agenesis of the redundant third molar may follow. One of the aims here was to examine impaction and agenesis of the third molars in four populations of varying antiquity and hence varying dental-wear rates. Paradoxically, whilst there is a decrease in the rate of dental wear with modernity, there is also an increasing prevalence of advanced dental wear due to prolongation of the lifespan of the human dentition. As the effect of dental wear on the curve of Spee was unknown, a second aim was to examine it in an archaeological population with a high rate of dental wear. The results showed an increase in non-eruption and impaction of the third molars with modernity, but did not demonstrate a significant increase in the rate of agenesis. The time period over which impaction and agenesis could be discerned was of the order of 600 years and this may not be sufficient to observe adaptive changes at the genetic level in humans. In molar teeth there was no clear indication of maintenance of the curve of Spee with dental wear. This has potential implications on the design of prostheses for the worn dentition.

A comparative study of translucent apical dentine in vital and non-vital human teeth

Previous studies have shown that dentinal apical translucency increases with age. Although the mechanism by which apical translucency is produced is still uncertain, it has been suggested that it develops at a slower rate in non-vital teeth. In this investigation the amount and distribution of apical translucent dentine in a group of age-matched vital and non-vital teeth were compared. Fifty-five non-vital (root-filled) teeth and 49 vital teeth were used. Freshly extracted teeth were fixed in 2% glutaraldehyde solution, sectioned longitudinally in the buccolingual plane and ground to a thickness of 150 microns. Each section was photographed in polarized light at a standard magnification against a ruled scale background. Black-and-white prints of standard magnification were produced and translucent apical dentine was plotted using an Apple II digitizer. Variables measured were length, length as a percentage of root length, area and area as a percentage of root area. Data were related to age and tooth type and analysed by Mann-Whitney and regression analysis. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were present when tooth types were pooled. There was more apical translucency present in all types of non-vital teeth when compared with vital teeth at any given age.

CALCULUS DEPOSITS AND BONE LOSS ON THE TEETH OF ROMANO-BRITISH AND EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY LONDONERS

The relation between dental calculus and periodontal disease is not clear but it is generally recognized that calculus is a significant pathogenetic factor. Skeletal material has previously been used to study some aspects of chronic adult periodontitis but few studies have quantified the extent of calculus in ancient populations and its relation to changes in alveolar bone height. This study records the presence and extent of calculus and its relation to alveolar bone loss in a Romano-British and eighteenth-century London population. There were significant differences in calculus deposition in the two populations but this appeared to have little effect on changes in alveolar bone contour. It is suggested that the amount of calculus may be related to diet but that changes in alveolar bone height seem to be independently controlled.

Sex determination by PCR analysis of DNA extracted from incinerated, deciduous teeth

Establishing the biological sex of human remains is a very important part of identifying victims of fire when severe soft tissue destruction has occurred. Deciduous (childrens) teeth were exposed to a range of incineration temperatures 100-500 degrees C for 15 minutes. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification was used to identify specific human amelogenin regions. There was successful identification of human biological sex, from deciduous teeth exposed to incineration temperatures of 200 degrees C and below, using standard ethidium bromide gel staining. There was greater sensitivity using fragment analysis by laser induced fluorescence which achieved sex identification from some teeth heated to 400 degrees C.

The effect of conditions of putrefaction on species determination in human and animal teeth

Tooth fragments freshly extracted from humans and rats were stored at either 4 degrees C or room temperature in dry or humid conditions for periods ranging from 1 to 6 months. The fragments were reduced to powder and antigens were extracted. Comparison of these samples was carried out using Counter Current Electrophoresis. Extracted sera were tested against known specific antisera and resultant precipitin reactions stained for examination. Correct species identification was possible both from desiccated and humid fragments but there was species variation in the sensitivity of the method. All the extracts from human teeth were positive against human antisera. In the rat some test specimens were initially negative but became positive following further dilution of the extracts.

The effects of putrefaction on haptoglobin phenotyping from tooth fragments

Tooth fragments freshly extracted from humans were stored for various times and temperatures under both dry and moist conditions. The fragments were reduced to powder and proteins eluted. Purified haptoglobin fractions were separated, detected and phenotyped using the Phast Gel electrophoresis system using gradient gels. Haptoglobin phenotypes were demonstrable but became less detectable as time increased.