While teeth have their main job of chewing our food, they also provide a lasting record of our personal history. Due to this, scientists can tell a lot about a person just by examining their teeth which includes:
- Age: The size of teeth can identify the approximate age of a person.
- Diet: A healthy diet is reflected in healthy teeth.
- Disease: Tooth loss can be a sign of osteoporosis, kidney disease, heart disease, skin and blood problems.
- Stress: Periods of stress or illness can also show in teeth.
- Identification: Forensic dentistry can help police identify people and analyze bite marks since teeth and their patterning are almost as unique as a fingerprint.
- Location: Patterns or wear on teeth, particularly molars, can give scientists ideas of where people may may have lived on Earth.
We can learn so much about a person’s health, diet, identity, and health issues just by looking at their teeth. Therefore, we can use these clues to our advantage, such as visiting the dentist regularly to understand what current health problems we may not know that we are facing.