[Mouth diseases in a prehistoric agricultural population of northeastern North America].

There is no longer any question that the consumption of refined sugar is a factor in the development of dental caries. In fact, researchers now believe that the production of refined sugar and, particularly, its great availability and use in post-industrial populations has led to a virtual revolution in both the food industry and buccopathology. Clinical and epidemiological studies on the relationship between caries and sugar consumption have been conducted for more than 40 years, and the harmful effects of sugar consumption on the development of dental caries are now well known. Some authors have also demonstrated a historical relationship between caries and sugar over the last three centuries. Another food revolution that had an equally great impact on oral health occurred with the introduction of agriculture. This innovation is discussed from both a technical and food perspective. Agriculture modified the diet of ancient populations by providing new foods that were rich in carbohydrates and by introducing new cooking methods (food was now often boiled instead of being roasted). These two factors alone contributed to an increased rate of dental caries, but at the same time reduced the abrasion of occlusal surfaces and dental crowns. This paper documents the relationship between dental caries, occlusal abrasion, fractures and periodontal disorders, as well as the agriculture practises of an Amerindian population that lived between 1000 and 1500 A.D. in parts of what are now New York State, Quebec and Ontario. The author's findings confirm those of many other researchers who have investigated agricultural populations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)