Monkey teeth fossils hint several extinct species crossed the Atlantic In contrast, some baboons and macaques, which have a much more varied diet, don’t appear to have these tooth cavities. Sabbi, Author provided (no reuse)Īlthough other monkey and ape species might have different diets and eating behaviours, they all use their front teeth to process fruits and other plant parts that are high in natural sugars. Perhaps in hindsight this is not surprising since soft fruits are a staple of the diet in many primates, so they regularly chew foods with high levels of natural sugars.Īnd because we studied so many teeth, we were then able to assess variation in patterns of cavities – where they were on the teeth and how that differed in relation to diet and behaviour.Ĭhimpanzee in Uganda eating figs by creating a wadge in the front of the mouth. And several species had high levels of cavities on their front teeth, including chimpanzees, gorillas, Dent’s mona monkeys, blue monkeys and raffles’ banded langurs.Ĭrucially, we found that tooth decay causing bacteria had indeed been involved in the cavities we commonly observed on the front teeth, because demineralisation was evident deep below the surface of the tooth. Nine out of the 11 species had at least some cavities. To do this, we used a 3D-imaging technique known as micro-CT scans to look at 8,000 teeth from 11 diverse primate species.įossil tooth fractures and microscopic detail of enamel offer new clues about human diet and evolution In a recent study we wanted to find out for sure whether primates get tooth cavities, and where in the mouth they were found. But dental decay is still generally regarded as rare in wild primates living today, and there has been disagreement between specialists on whether deep cavities found within the front of their teeth are actually tooth decay caused by cavity-forming bacteria, or holes caused by factors other than tooth decay such as enamel weakness. Primates in particular have been observed to have cavities, including in a diverse range of prehistoric species. It turns out that tooth decay may be relatively common in some species, including in a wide range of mammals such as bats, primates, bears and some other carnivores. This is mostly due to being fed a diet containing processed sugars that differs from their natural foods.īut we might expect that wild animals wouldn’t suffer from the same dental issues as they are not eating processed foods. This is called demineralisation, and it ultimately causes cavities.Īpart from humans, some species kept as pets and in captivity (such as in zoos), can regularly display tooth cavities. If this happens frequently, the tissue that makes up a tooth – including enamel and dentine – decrease in mineral concentration. They consume the sugary foods and release acids into the mouth as a by-product. It’s common knowledge that a sugary diet can cause cavities, but specific bacteria living in our mouths are part of the process. Indeed, half of you reading this article are likely to currently have it. Nearly everyone at some point in their lives is affected by tooth decay.
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