Pharmacy Daily | Dispensary Corner 19 Feb 13

GO back to the Stone Age. Analysis of DNA from tartar preserved on the teeth of ancient skeletons has revealed the consequences of changes in human diet and health from the Stone Age to modern day. According to the researchers, the ancient genetic record reveals the negative impact and changes farming and manufactured foods have had on the evolution of our oral bacteria. Published in Nature Genetics, the research saw scientists extract DNA from tartar from 34 prehistoric northern European human skeletons, and then trace changes in the nature of oral bacteria from the last huntergatherers, through the first farmers to later Bronze Age and Medieval times. “The composition of oral bacteria changed markedly with the introduction of farming, and again around 150 years ago,” said study head Prof Alan Cooper. “With the introduction of processed sugar and flour during the Industrial Revolution, we can see a dramatically decreased diversity in our oral bacteria, allowing domination by cariescausing strains. “Oral bacteria in modern man are markedly less diverse than historic populations and this is thought to contribute to chronic oral and other disease in postindustrial lifestyles. “The modern mouth basically exists in a permanent disease state,” he added.

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