Prehistoric humans didn’t need toothpaste, or floss, or even sonic toothbrushes. They lived on a grain-free diet made up of meat, vegetables and nuts, and they had really nice teeth. It wasn’t until early man started farming that gum disease-associated bacteria began to be a problem. A 2013 genetic study of ancient dental plaque by a group at the University of Adelaide charted the course of oral bacteria, starting with strong-jawed Neolithic hunter-gatherers, and documented when higher carb diets brought plaque to our mouths.
Nice smile, caveman:
The researchers took DNA from calcified plaque from 34 prehistoric northern European human skeletons, and traced the introduction of certain types of oral bacteria.
The researchers found that bacteria associated with dental cavities, such as S. mutans, became dominant around the time of the Industrial Revolution.
The study also found that the frequency of bacteria associated with periodontal diseases, such as gingivitis, has not changed much since farming began.