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Teeth. They're the superstars of the facial rock collection, aren't they? OK, maybe not in the conventional sense of 'cool', but they are fascinating pieces of natural engineering—mineralized crystals that serve a crucial role in our daily lives. But here's the catch: unlike the regenerative powers of skin or bones, teeth can't mend themselves. A cavity is a permanent dent in our dental history, a reminder of our vulnerability to the relentless process of decay.
Have you ever wondered why our species seems to have such a difficult relationship with our own choppers? You might be forgiven for thinking that pre-modern humans must have had a nightmare of a time with their teeth rotting away left and right. Surprisingly, that's not entirely the case. Ancient humans, despite their lack of fluoride toothpaste and floss, didn't suffer from dental decay at the rates we see today.
So, why do humans hold the title for the worst teeth in the animal kingdom? Let's rewind and uncover the tale of our troubled teeth. Cavities, or caries, are the bane of our dental existence, with over 90% of adults encountering at least one in their lifetime. The usual suspect? Streptococcus mutans, a bacterium that thrives in the sugary environment of our mouths, producing acids that wear down our enamel and pave the way for cavities.
But is it all down to our love for the sweet stuff? Not quite. While sugar is a major player, it's not just candy that's to blame. Starchy foods like bread and pasta are also guilty pleasures that set the stage for tooth decay. Our ancestors, being primates, had a sweet tooth long before farming, feasting on fruit and leaving behind fossilized evidence of cavities in their teeth. Yet, despite their fruity habits, modern-day chimps only experience about half the cavity rate of humans.
When did our dental destiny take a turn for the worse? The answer lies in the agricultural revolution, around 10,000 BCE, which introduced a seismic shift in human diets. Before farming, early humans consumed a variety of wild plants, with less emphasis on sugary items. Compare this to Homo sapiens, where those with a higher sugar intake typically had more cavities.
Take, for example, the inhabitants of the Les Grotte des Pigeons in Morocco, where researchers discovered a cavity rate similar to modern industrialized populations—half of the teeth and 94% of individuals affected. This, in stark contrast to most hunter-gatherer societies, where the cavity rate peaks at around 15%.
So, what changed without the convenience of gummy worms and Coca-Cola? The answer lies in the acorns, oats, and legumes that formed a significant part of their diet. But the real game-changer was the advent of farming grains like wheat and barley, followed by heavy food processing and the addition of sugar to virtually everything.
The story doesn't end there. The cavity-causing bacterium itself has evolved alongside us, adapting to our changing food production. Streptococcus mutans has been with us since Neanderthal times, but its genetic diversity saw a surge around 10,000 BCE, coinciding with the dawn of agriculture. And as we've cultivated sugar, the bacterium has become more adept at its evolutionary mission: ruining our teeth.
It's a worrying thought that this pathogen might soon become resistant to antibiotics, adding another twist to our long, twisty tale of dental woe. But in the grand scheme of things, tooth problems are a small price to pay for the luxury of modern diets and the occasional indulgence in甜蜜 treats. After all, who would want to trade their candy for a life without the convenience and variety of today's food choices?
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