Dental health in the Mesolithic period

The diet was coarser than today. Teeth were also used as tools when different materials were prepared. They therefore became very worn, and numerous marks can be seen upon their surface. Even children of 5 or 6 years of age have been found with worn-down milk teeth. On the other hand, dental cavities were almost unheard of in the Mesolithic period. Such holes in teeth are caused by poor oral hygiene and a sugary diet. In Denmark the diet was rich in protein and there was no access to sweet, sun-ripened fruit, which could produce dental cavities.