Toothpicking & Periodontal Disease in A Neanderthal Specimen Article Summary Take a look at a magazine article and a scientific paper! Download the instruc

Toothpicking & Periodontal Disease in A Neanderthal Specimen Article Summary Take a look at a magazine article and a scientific paper! Download the instructions to know which ones to do. You may have to scroll down to see it all.’2 summaries and answer all questionsDays of Dysevolution.pdf (23MB) — Smaller weblink (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.the instructions are attached below Anthropology 130 Article Summary 4
20 points total
Instructions
Write summaries for two of the readings this week, found in the Module. You must do the
following magazine article:
Wheelwright, J. (2015, May). Days of dysevolution. Discover, 33-39. Retrieved from
http://discovermagazine.com/2015/may/16-days-of-dysevolution
Then choose one of the following as your second summary:
Lozano, M., Subirà, M. E., Aparicio, J., Lorenzo, C., & Gómez-Merino, G. (2013).
Toothpicking and periodontal disease in a Neanderthal specimen from Cova Foradà site
(Valencia, Spain). PLoS One, 8(10), e76852.
Subsol, G., Moreno, B., Jessel, J., Braga, J., Bruxelles, L., Thackeray, F., & Clarke, R.
(2015). In situ 3D digitization of the “Little Foot” Australopithecus skeleton from
Sterkfontein. Paleoanthropology, 44-53.
Write a summary organized this way based on each article. Each mini-summary can be just one
paragraph:
1. Starts with a sentence that gives the title and authors of the essay. For a paper with
more than three authors, just call the authors “ and
colleagues…” (1 point)
2. Then the paragraph summarizes the author’s main point. (2 points)
3. Then gives an overview of what the author describes in his writing. Do not repeat their
fine details, but sum up what he wrote.
4. End the paragraph with a brief reflection: how does the essay match or go against your
own experiences?
5. Style pointers: be sure that your summary has the following qualities.
1. College level writing: free from spelling and grammatical problems
1 of 2
2. Little to no use of direct text from the paper
Write your responses in a new document. If you are typing, use standard college formatting (12
pt. font, double-spaced). Upload the file to Canvas to turn it in.
Also, make sure that the answers are your own writing instead of direct quotes from the paper.
Each mini-summary should just be around 200 words each. Choose the details to mention
carefully! The total assignment should be over 400 words. Grading is based on following the
above instructions. See the grading rubric with the assignment on Canvas.
References
Lozano, M., Subirà, M. E., Aparicio, J., Lorenzo, C., & Gómez-Merino, G. (2013). Toothpicking and
periodontal disease in a Neanderthal specimen from Cova Foradà site (Valencia, Spain). PLoS One,
8(10), e76852.
Subsol, G., Moreno, B., Jessel, J., Braga, J., Bruxelles, L., Thackeray, F., & Clarke, R. (2015). In situ 3D
digitization of the “Little Foot” Australopithecus skeleton from Sterkfontein. Paleoanthropology, 44-53.
Wheelwright, J. (2015, May). Days of dysevolution. Discover, 33-39. Retrieved from http://
discovermagazine.com/2015/may/16-days-of-dysevolution
2 of 2
Toothpicking and Periodontal Disease in a Neanderthal
Specimen from Cova Forada? Site (Valencia, Spain)
Marina Lozano1,2*, Maria Eula?lia Subira?3,4, Jose? Aparicio5, Carlos Lorenzo1,2, Gala Go?mez-Merino1,2
1 IPHES, Institut Catala? de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolucio? Social, Tarragona, Spain, 2 A?rea de Prehisto?ria, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV).Tarragona, Spain, 3 Unitat
d’Antropologia Biolo?gica (GRAPAC), Facultat de Biocie?ncies, Universitat Auto?noma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain, 4 MINOA Arqueologia i Serveis S.L. I+D, Bellaterra,
Spain, 5 Seccio? d’Estudis Arqueolo?gics Valencians, Diputacio?n Provincial de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
Abstract
We present a Neanderthal maxilla (CF-1) from Cova Forada? site (Oliva, Valencia, Spain) with periodontal disease and
evidence of attempts to alleviate pain with the use of a toothpick. Two interproximal grooves have been found on the distal
surfaces of the upper left Pm3 and M1 of CF-1 maxilla. The location, morphology and size of the grooves coincide with other
interproximal grooves found on the teeth of other fossil specimens. Heavy dental wear and periodontal disease would have
caused the Cova Forada? Neanderthal specimen pain and discomfort, which the individual attempted to mitigate using some
kind of dental probe.
Citation: Lozano M, Subira? ME, Aparicio J, Lorenzo C, Go?mez-Merino G (2013) Toothpicking and Periodontal Disease in a Neanderthal Specimen from Cova
Forada? Site (Valencia, Spain). PLoS ONE 8(10): e76852. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0076852
Editor: Alejandro Lucia, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Spain
Received June 19, 2013; Accepted August 27, 2013; Published October 16, 2013
Copyright: ß 2013 Lozano et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Funding: This work is funded by the Direccio?n General de Investigacio?n of M.E.C., projects number CGL2012-38434-C03-01 and CGL2012-38434-C03-03. This
research has been supported by AGAUR 2009 SGR-324 and SGR-566 projects of the Generalitat of Catalunya. Field work at the Cova Forada? site is supported by
Diputacio?n de Valencia. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
* E-mail: mlozano@iphes.cat
Between 2000 and 2003, a maxilla (CF-1), four cranial
fragments (CF-2, CF-3, CF-4 and CF-5), a deciduous molar
(CF-6) and a fibula (CF-7) were discovered in level 29 Cova
Forada? associated to faunal remains and lithic tools. The human
remains seem to belong to two individuals. The morphological
traits of the human remains, the typology of lithic tools and faunal
remains associated to them indicate a Mousterian origin for this
layer. The maxilla, the cranial fragments and the shaft of fibula
belonged to an adult individual and the deciduous lower right
second molar belonged to a 2.5 years child. The specimen
described in this study corresponds to a nearly complete maxilla
(CF-1) bearing a few teeth [6].
Introduction
A toothpick is a small stick normally made of wood, but also of
bamboo, metal, bone or other material with one or two sharp ends
to insert between the teeth. Although not recommended by
dentists, toothpicks are widely used to remove trapped food
particles that irritate or hurt the gums. Although these are modern
uses, they very likely have a very long history.
The use of toothpicks is widespread in every culture, and spans
from the beginning of the genus Homo to modern times. In human
evolution, this habit has often been documented in different Homo
species, from Homo habilis 1.84 m.a. ago to modern humans living
today [1,2,3,4]. Interproximal grooves on Neanderthal teeth are a
common feature, indicating that the habit of picking the teeth with
a tool was well established in this species. Agger and colleagues [5]
suggest that the use of toothpicks may even constitute evidence of
the biological capacity for language.
The aim of this study is to show the correlation between the use
of toothpicks and an attempt to alleviate sore gums in a
Neanderthal maxilla recovered from the archaeological site of
Cova Forada? (Oliva, Valencia, Spain).
The Cova Forada? is a cave located in the middle of the central
Mediterranean coast on the Iberian Peninsula (Oliva, Valencia)
(Fig. 1). The cave presents human occupation from the
Mousterian to the Mesolithic and also Bronze Age, Iberian and
medieval period. The first archaeological levels are dated in the
Bronze Age: 5,633631 BP (6.437 cal B.P.) (charcoal layer 1,
CSIC-1492) and 6196634 BP (7.220 cal B.P.) (charcoal layer 2,
CSIC-1493). The layer 11 had faunal remains dated at Upper
Paleolithic 16,960+100 BP (20.119 cal B. P.) (UBAR – 935/CNA
089).
PLOS ONE | www.plosone.org
Materials and Methods
No permits were required for the described study, which
complied with all relevant regulations. The current regulation is
this: Law 9/1993, 30th of setember, Catalan cultural heritage
(DOGC number 1807, 11.10.1993).
The material studied consists of three teeth present in situ in the
articulated right and left adult maxilla, labelled CF-1 which is
temporary housed at Institut Catala? de Paleoecologia Humana i
Evolucio? Social (IPHES) in Tarragona, Spain (Fig. 2). The maxilla
comprises the alveoli from the right canine to the second left
molar. It contains the left part of the inferior nasal border, the
anterior nasal spine and the nasoalveolar clivus. Three teeth
remain in place: the left C, Pm3 and M1. The lack of signs of new
bone formation in the alveoli indicates that the other teeth were
lost postmortem. The interproximal wear facet on the distal face of
the left M1 indicates that the M2 was erupted. The dental wear
analysis suggests an estimated age at death of 35–45 years for this
individual [6].
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Toothpicking in the Cova Forada? Neanderthal
Figure 1. Location of Cova Forada? site.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0076852.g001
The heavy wear on the dental surfaces was analysed by means
of observation using a Fei Quanta 600 environmental scanning
electron microscope (ESEM). High-resolution replicas of the
maxillary teeth were made in order to improve inspection in the
ESEM chamber [14,15]. Interproximal grooves were morphologically described and measured with ESEM digital images captured
at different magnifications (between 630 and 6500), 15 kv voltage
and a variable working distance of between 20 and 30 mm.
Both maxilla and dentition were analysed and examined for oral
pathologies such as periodontal disease, dental caries, dental
calculus and abscesses. We scored the presence/absence of
alveolar resorption on the CF-1 maxilla. Alveolar resorption is
often related to periodontal disease and the progressive degeneration of dental support tissues [7,8].
The focal demineralization of hard dental tissues is a chronic
process caused by bacteria attached to dental plaque and
commonly known as dental caries [9]. In archaeological remains
its presence/absence in each tooth is documented along with its
location (occlusal, coronal, enamel joint and/or root) and the
degree of destruction of dental tissues (enamel only, dentine and/
or pulp cavity) [10].
We also recorded the presence/absence of dental calculus or
calcified dental plaque adhered to dental surfaces and indicated
whether it was of the subgingival or supragingival type [11].
Finally, we looked for evidence of periapical abscesses in the
maxilla associated with dental decay or other possible oral
infections. The maxilla was scanned using computed tomography
(CT) with a Toshiba Aquilon CT scanner at the Hospital General
de Catalunya in Sant Cugat (Barcelona), using the following scan
parameters 120 Kv, 150 mAs, a slice thickness of 1.0 mm, slice
increment of 0.3 mm and a pixel resolution of 0.137 mm.
The preserved teeth show heavy dental wear. The crowns were
worn down to almost the level of the cementoenamel junction.
Dental wear stages were determined in accordance with two
different methods, one for anterior teeth and one for posterior
teeth. Canine wear was established in keeping with Skinner’s
model for anterior teeth [12]. The dental wear of posterior teeth
was determined using Murphy’s pattern, as modified by Smith
[13]. Individual age at death was estimated using Brothwell’s
pattern of dental wear [11].
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Results
The three preserved maxillary teeth are characterised by heavy
dental wear (Fig. 2). The canine shows stage eight wear on
Skinner’s scale for anterior teeth [12]. Only the cervical third of
the crown is preserved on the buccal surface. The occlusal wear is
tilted toward the tongue and the palatine surface of the tooth is
completely depleted; the exposed root is also worn. The occlusal
surface shows the formation of secondary dentine and only a thin
enamel rim is preserved near the vestibular surface. The Pm3 and
M1 show heavy wear corresponding to stage seven on Murphy’s
scale [13]. Enamel in the cervical third of the premolar crown has
been preserved on the buccal surface. However, the palatine
surface is worn, tilted from the mesial to distal and diminished to
the cervicoenamel junction on the distal side. On the central part
of the occlusal surface, the dentine has worn to the point that it is
concave. The occlusal surface of the M1 shows secondary dentine
exposed with oblique wear reaching the cervical region on the
mesial side. An enamel rim has been preserved on the distal side
and there are small spots of enamel on the mesial side and on the
buccodistal cusp. The buccal surface of the M1 features a large
break with enamel and dentine loss also affecting the root. This
break could be of antemortem origin, but was enlarged
postmortem. The occlusal surfaces of the teeth were examined
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Toothpicking in the Cova Forada? Neanderthal
Two interproximal grooves were found on the distal surfaces of
the Pm3 and the M1. In both cases, the bucolingually elongated
grooves are located under the cervicoenamel junction and confirm
the presence of periodontal disease. The Pm3 groove runs along
the entire distal surface, but is more defined and deeper in the half
closer to the tongue. After this, the groove splits into two halves
(Fig. 3). The groove is 1 mm wide and 5.66 mm long. The M1
groove is located on the lingual side of distal surface and measures
4.69 mm in length and 1.1 mm in width. Both grooves have
semicircular cross-sections with worn and softened walls, indicating antemortem formation. The ESEM examination shows
parallel microscratches bucolingually oriented at the bottom of
the grooves (Fig. 3). The other surfaces of the teeth do not show
any evidence of interproximal grooves.
Discussion and Conclusions
The CF-1 maxilla shows evidence of periodontal disease and
heavy dental wear, although it lacks other pathologies such as
dental decay or abscesses. The heavily worn teeth in this specimen
are evidenced by the loss of the majority of the dental crown and,
on the occlusal surface, by large areas of exposed dentine
surrounded by a thin rim of remnant enamel. The occlusal
surfaces show pitting, scratching and enamel chipping of
antemortem origin, indicating the intense use of the teeth. The
extreme and heavy occlusal load on the teeth throughout the
lifetime of this individual resulted in this type of dental wear [17].
Highly abrasive diets containing various hard items demand heavy
occlusal loads. A previous study on the dental microwear of the
teeth of CF-1 concluded that the vestibular surface of the upper
M1 also shows evidence of a highly abrasive diet [16].
The alveolar resorption in CF-1 is severe in the canine alveolus
and mild in the other teeth. The periodontal disease of this
individual could be considered mild to serious with a generalised
gum inflammation that reached the bone. Poor oral hygiene and
the long-term effects of plaque deposition can cause gingivitis that
degenerates into periodontal disease without treatment.
Interproximal grooves were documented on the distal surfaces
of the Pm3 and M1. They were caused by the action of pulling
some type of hard, narrow object, such as a toothpick, between
adjacent teeth. Both interproximal grooves are related to heavy
dental wear and periodontal disease. The adjacent teeth, the left
Pm4 and upper left M2, were lost postmortem because there is no
evidence of new bone formation in either alveoli. We do not know
if those teeth suffered any dental pathology such as dental decay.
However, the compensatory eruption of teeth with root exposition
as a consequence of heavy dental wear could facilitate the
introduction of food detritus between the teeth causing irritation
and pain. The use of a small piece of wood or bone as a toothpick
would alleviate that discomfort. The habit of picking the teeth
causes interproximal grooves such as those found in an experimental study using grass stalks [18].
Interproximal grooves have been widely documented on the
teeth of fossil populations (Table 1). A lower molar of Homo erectus
(OH60) from Olduvai dated to 1.84 m.a. and the upper premolar
of L894-I from Omo dated to 1.8 m.a. present the earliest
evidence of these grooves [4,18]. This feature is broadly
documented in other hominins such as Homo heidelbergensis from
the Sima de los Huesos site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain) and in
Neanderthals [1,19,20,21,22,23,24] (Table 1). In our own species,
Homo sapiens, interproximal grooves have been documented from
Upper Palaeolithic individuals to present day aboriginal populations [20,25,26,27,28] (Table 1).
Figure 2. Different general views (inferior, internal, frontal and
left) of the maxilla from Cova Forada? site. Detailed images of the
last row: lower left, the arrow shows the interproximal groove on distal
surface of left M1. Lower right, the arrow shows the interproximal
groove on distal surface of left Pm3.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0076852.g002
by means of ESEM. The exposed dentine appears shiny and
polished with a few pitted and scratched areas. Some polished and
worn chips have been documented on the enamel rim surrounding
the occlusal dentine.
There is no evidence of dental caries, dental calculus, abscesses
or bone perforation related to a cyst in the Cova Forada? dentition
after visual inspection of the maxilla and the analysis of CT
images. However, periodontal disease has been documented on
the left side of the maxilla [16]. The porous appearance of the
alveolar margin and alveolar bone resorption between Pm3 and
M1 could be related to periodontal disease [7]. Alveolar resorption
is usually associated with periodontal disease and the degeneration
of the soft tissues supporting the teeth [7]. Another useful indicator
of periodontal disease is the deterioration of the alveolar bone.
The lack of three to six millimetres of alveolar bone is considered
mild to moderate periodontal disease, whereas the loss of six or
more millimetres denotes serious periodontal disease [8]. The
distance between the cervicoenamel junction and the alveolar
margin is 8.05 mm on the canine, 4.65 mm on the Pm3 and
3.8 mm on the M1. The CF individual was therefore affected by
mild to serious periodontal disease.
PLOS ONE | www.plosone.org
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Toothpicking in the Cova Forada? Neanderthal
Figure 3. A: Interproximal groove on distal surface of left Pm3 (binocular lens image). B: Detailed view of the interproximal groove on Pm3 (ESEM
image, 1006). C: Interproximal groove on distal surface of left M1 (binocular lens image). D. Detailed view of the interproximal groove on M1 (ESEM
image, 306).
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0076852.g003
In all populations and individuals, groove morphology is
characterised by a tubular cross-section and labiolingual orientation. Interproximal grooving is more common on molars and
premolars than on anterior teeth. There is no clear preference for
mesial or distal surfaces, and there are many examples with both
surfaces affected (Table 1). It is always caused by the introduction
of some type of hard, thin and rigid probe between the teeth.
Interproximal grooves on healthy teeth can be caused by using a
pick between the teeth in order to remove food particles
[2,3,22,29,30,31,32,33]. Another aetiology for grooving on
anterior and posterior teeth is linked to the use of the teeth as
tools [27]. However, when grooves are documented on teeth with
dental decay, heavy dental wear and periodontal disease, they
could be the result of attempts to mitigate the inflammation of the
gums [26,28]. The interproximal grooves in CF-1 may be related
to this last aetiology because both grooves are associated with
periodontal disease and severe dental wear.
In the last years, the evidence of the complex cognitive and
behavioural capabilities of the Neanderthals has been increased. It
has been proved that Neanderthals could speak and they were
right-handed in the …
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