Homo antecessor exhibits significantly higher scratch density and shorter scratch lengths in buccal microwear patterns compared to Homo heidelbergensis and Iberian Neanderthals, suggesting a more mechanically demanding diet potentially linked to less advanced food processing technologies and the absence of controlled fire use for cooking.

When people eat tough, gritty foods that haven't been softened by cooking or tools, tiny rock and plant particles get crushed between their teeth. Each time they chew, these hard bits scrape and scratch the outer surfaces of their back teeth. Over time, lots of these small scratches build up, making the tooth surface look covered in fine lines. If the food is especially gritty and not cooked, the scratches are more numerous and shorter because the particles are constantly rubbing in quick, sharp motions instead of sliding smoothly.