Analysis of ancient plaque from Neanderthal teeth in Belgium revealed DNA from large herbivores like woolly rhinoceros, suggesting a meat-heavy diet, while plaque from Spain showed DNA from plants...
Mechanism
Synthesis from 1 study
What Neanderthals ate changed the bacteria in their mouths, and those bacteria got locked into their tooth tartar. Where there were lots of big animals, their tartar had bacteria that like meat. Where there were forests with nuts and mushrooms, their tartar had bacteria that like plants. This is...
Most probable mechanism
What people eat changes the kinds of bacteria living in their mouths. Eating meat supports bacteria that break down proteins and fats, while eating plants like nuts, mushrooms, and moss supports bacteria that break down sugars and fibers. These bacterial communities get trapped in tooth tartar, preserving a record of what was eaten. The types of bacteria found in the tartar match the local environment — meat-eaters lived where large animals were common, and plant-eaters lived where forests provided edible plants.
Consumption of animal protein and fat selects for proteolytic and lipid-metabolizing bacterial taxa in the oral biofilm
Consumption of plant materials such as carbohydrates, polysaccharides, and fibers selects for fermentative and cellulolytic bacterial taxa in the oral biofilm
Nutrient-specific bacterial populations dominate the dental plaque biofilm based on dietary input
Mineralization of dental plaque into calculus traps and preserves microbial DNA and dietary biomolecules over millennia
The preserved microbial and dietary DNA in calculus reflects the dominant food sources available in the local environment
Less supported by current evidence, but not ruled out
Some individuals consumed plants with natural antimicrobial properties, such as poplar bark or mold, which may have reduced harmful bacteria in the mouth and gut. This could have changed the microbial community in ways unrelated to nutrition, but it only occurred in one individual and does not explain the broader dietary pattern.
Ingestion of plant material containing salicylic acid or fungal antibiotics introduces bioactive compounds into the oral and gastrointestinal tract
These compounds inhibit specific pathogens, reducing local infection and altering microbial competition in the mouth
The presence of medicinal plant DNA alongside a pathogen suggests a therapeutic intent, but this is not a general dietary pattern
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Community contributions welcome
Neanderthal behaviour, diet, and disease inferred from ancient DNA in dental calculus
Contradicting (0)
Community contributions welcome
Gold Standard Evidence Needed
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