No signs of tooth decay in half of Swedish Viking population (corrected)

Last edited Tue Jan 2, 2024, 11:03 AM - Edit history (1)

Much delayed edit. So sorry I've been away, didn't catch this until a moment ago:

December 14, 2023
Analysis of thousands of Viking teeth from a late Swedish Viking population reveals roughly half of the population were free from decay.

The other half (49%) suffered from some form of tooth decay, and about 4% had an infection.

Researchers from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden analysed 3292 Viking teeth from an excavation of the oldest known ruins of a Christian stone church and cemetery located behind Varnhem Abbey in Skara, Sweden, publishing their findings in PLOS ONE.

Author Carolina Bertilsson tells Cosmos: “Since teeth preserve very well postmortem, due to high mineral contents, they are a unique source of information. Dental caries is a disease that is strongly linked to diet, so it can give clues regarding dietary habits and contents.

. . .

The paper says like most Swedish Vikings, the population of Varnhem lived in farm-based communities. Their diet included meats like beef, port and mutton, fish, dairy, bread, porridge and vegetables inclyding cabbage, turnips, leeks, mushrooms and hazelnuts.

They likely drank beer, and occasionally milk and mead.

Dental analysis can offer insights into the everyday life of Vikings, the researchers say.

More:
https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/archaeology/no-signs-of-tooth-decay-in-half-of-swedish-viking-population/#:~:text=Analysis%20of%20thousands%20of%20Viking,about%204%25%20had%20an%20infection.