Dental Trauma and Antemortem Tooth Loss in Prehistoric Canary Islanders: Prevalence and Contributing Factors

Differential diagnosis of the aetiology of antemortem tooth loss (AMTL) may yield important insights regarding patterns of behaviour in prehistoric peoples. Variation in the consistency of food due to its toughness and to food preparation methods is a primary factor in AMTL, with dental wear or caries a significant precipitating factor. Nutritional deficiency diseases, dental ablation for aesthetic or ritual reasons, and traumatic injury may also contribute to the frequency of AMTL. Systematic observations of dental pathology were conducted on crania and mandibles at the Museo Arqueologico de Tenerife. Observations of AMTL revealed elevated frequencies and remarkable aspects of tooth crown evulsion. This report documents a 9.0% overall rate of AMTL among the ancient inhabitants of the island of Tenerife in the Canary Archipelago. Sex-specific tooth count rates of AMTL are 9.8% for males and 8.1% for females, and maxillary AMTL rates (10.2%) are higher than mandibular tooth loss rates (7.8%) Dental trauma makes a small but noticeable contribution to tooth loss among the Guanches, especially amongmales. In several cases of tooth crown evulsion, the dental root was retained in the alveolus, without periapical infection, and alveolar bone was in the initial stages of sequestering the dental root. In Tenerife, antemortem loss of maxillary anterior teeth is consistent with two potential causal factors: (a) accidental falls while traversing volcanic terrain; and (b) interpersonal combat, including traditional wrestling, stick-fighting and ritual combat. Steep-walled valleys (barrancos) and lava fields (malpaı́s) required agile locomotion and occasional vaulting with the aid of a wooden staff. Accidental falls involving facial injury may have contributed to AMTL. Traditional conflict resolution involved competitive wrestling (lucha canaria), stick-fighting (juego del palo), and ritualised contests involving manual combat. These activities made a small but recognisable impact on anterior dental trauma and tooth loss. Inter-personal behaviours of such intensity leave their mark on skeletal and dental remains, thereby providing insight into the lives and cultural traditions of the ancient Guanches. Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.