The distribution of caries in 301 Iron Age, 412 Roman-British and 416 Mediaeval dentitions was determined and compared with the findings of a previously reported study of the Anglo-Saxon dentition. The principal finding was that the pattern of caries underwent no significant changes during these periods which together extended over more than 2,000 years. The most frequent site of caries initiation in the permanent dentition was at the cemento-enamel junction, particularly on the interstitial surfaces. In the younger skulls, caries was most prevalent in the occlusal fissures but the number of cavities at this site declined with age as attrition removed crown substance. This decline was more than offset by a progressive increase with age in the number of cavities at the cemento-enamel junction. In the Mediaeval period, cavities at contact areas became more prevalent (although not by statistically significant amounts). Whether this presaged the beginning of a trend towards the modern pattern of caries should become obvious from studies now being made of the succeeding periods of British history.

Keywords:
Caries distribution, Epidemiology of caries historical
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© 1973 S. Karger AG, Basel
1973
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