Dental Enamel Hypoplasia in a medieval Portuguese sample from Coimbra and one possible etiology

Dental Enamel Hypoplasia in a medieval Portuguese sample from Coimbra and its possible etiology
Department of Life Sciences
University of Coimbra
Liliana Matias de Carvalho
Sofia Wasterlain
II Bioanthropology Meeting






Thank You!
Liliana Matias de Carvalho
Sofia Wasterlain

II Bioanthropology Meeting

Possible Causes
Liliana Matias de Carvalho
Sofia Wasterlain
II Bioanthropology Meeting


Women suffered more from this condition. Possible causes:

- greater vulnerability? differential parenting?

 - differential diet – boys could have more physically demanding activities (scare away birds from crops, help lift objects, be apprentices) and received a more substantial diet than girls that usually stayed at home to help their mothers in small tasks (Oliveira, 2010)
Possible Causes
Liliana Matias de Carvalho
Sofia Wasterlain
II Bioanthropology Meeting


The biggest cause can be weaning children without them to be physiologically prepared or with no suitable replacement diet

Weaning is a period that can result in malnutrition

Replacement foods: - flour porridge, semi-liquid foods at first
- mashed bread crumbs, honey, milk and a little wine in a second moment

Breast milk replaced by goat's or sheep´s milk which could create multiple intestinal or nutrient absorption problems

A non consolidated dentition could also make it difficult to chew more solid foods (Oliveira, 2010)
Possible Causes
Liliana Matias de Carvalho
Sofia Wasterlain
II Bioanthropology Meeting


Cunha (1994) who has studied the same material found that 51.9% of the subjects with DEH had the physiological stress moment between the 4 and 6.5 years

Does this mean a late weaning?
Is there another cause?
- nutritional needs
- disease
- hygiene
- …


Some conclusions
Liliana Matias de Carvalho
Sofia Wasterlain
II Bioanthropology Meeting

Results should be, to the possible extent, confronted with historical data

Data suggest a slightly different diet between the sexes

Children may have undergone nutritional difficulties (perhaps around the time of weaning) but it is difficult to reach a definite conclusion on archeological material

Bibliography
Liliana Matias de Carvalho
Sofia Wasterlain
II Bioanthropology Meeting

Cunha, E.1994. Paleobiologia das populações medievais portuguesas: os casos de Fão e de S. João de Almedina. Coimbra. Departamento de Antropologia.

Carvalho, L. 2013. Regressando a São João de Almedina (Coimbra, Portugal): estudo da patologia oral de uma população medieval urbana. Coimbra. Departamento de Ciências da Vida.

Oliveira,A.R. 2010. O corpo: a criança. In: Mattoso, J; Sousa, B.V. (ed.). História da vida privada em Portugal: a Idade Média. Maia, Círculo de Leitores: 300-323.
Results – Groove:
Liliana Matias de Carvalho
Sofia Wasterlain
II Bioanthropology Meeting

LEH by jaw:

Upper teeth: 36.3% (n=73)

Lower teeth: 28.5% (n= 98)


LEH by side:

Right teeth: 32.8% (n= 88)

Left teeth: 30% (n= 83)

(n= number of teeth)


Results – Groove:
Liliana Matias de Carvalho
Sofia Wasterlain
I Bioanthropology Meeting

Table 1. Frequency (%) of groove defects
DEH - Results
Liliana Matias de Carvalho
Sofia Wasterlain
II Bioanthropology Meeting

By type:

Groove: 31.4% (n= 171)

Pit: 2.6% (n=14)

No plane defects

(n= number of teeth)

By location:

Occlusal: 2.7% (n=10)

Contact region: 18.1% (n= 95)

Cervical: 23% (n=122)
(n= number of surfaces)


Defects affecting the enamel, originated in the development phase of the dental crown

It records the physiological stress between the 5th month of pregnancy and 12/13 years

There are several causes and sometimes they can relate to each other: diet, disease, altitude, climate, genetics and socioeconomic factors
Dental Enamel Hypoplasia
Liliana Matias de Carvalho
Sofia Wasterlain
II Bioanthropology Meeting

Sample
Liliana Matias de Carvalho
Sofia Wasterlain
II Bioanthropology Meeting

Place: burial ground of the São João de Almedina church (Coimbra)

Chronology: medieval/modern (12th – 16th centuries)

Sample: 58 adult individuals (28 males, 20 females, 10 of unknown sex) divided into three age classes (young adults, adults and old adults)


Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro yard/ São João
de Almedina burial ground (1950´s)

(Image from: http://www.museumachadocastro.pt/)
Liliana Matias de Carvalho
Sofia Wasterlain
II Bioanthropology Meeting

Methodology

Following the recommendations of Hillson (2001)

All present teeth were seen under a strong direct light with the help of a magnifying glass

When a localized horizontal enamel depression was seen on the labial surface of the teeth it was classified as one of the three types of hypoplasia (groove, pit or plane)

The location of each defect was also recorded: cervical, contact region or occlusal

The data regarding the age of the defects were assessed by Cunha (1994)
Results – Groove:
Liliana Matias de Carvalho
Sofia Wasterlain
II Bioanthropology Meeting

Young Adult: 38.8% (n=45)

Adult: 32.3% (n=107)

Older Adult: 19.4% (n=19)
Male: 31.2% (n=103)

Female: 37.6% (n=58)

Unknown sex: 16.4% (n=10)

(n= number of teeth)



Liliana Matias de Carvalho
Sofia Wasterlain
II Bioanthropology Meeting

Methodology


Some of the DEH noted on the subject number 8 (30-40 years; male)
DEH - Results
Liliana Matias de Carvalho
Sofia Wasterlain
II Bioanthropology Meeting

By individual: 58.6% (n=34)



By teeth: 33% (n=180)


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