Antemortem tooth loss as a biomarker of poverty: Dental evidence of “weathering” in a contemporary U.S. skeletal sample

Walkup, Taylor Nicole; Winburn, Allysha Powanda; Stock, Michala

doi:10.1016/j.fsisyn.2023.100333

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 81 publications

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“…Much published research already indicates that social experiences have been skeletally and dentally embodied in multiple populations through time [ [52] , [53] , [54] , [55] ]. Further, evidence that structural vulnerability is skeletally and dentally embodied in the modern US has begun to emerge from recent case studies [ 20 ], experimental research on tooth loss [ 56 ], and experimental research on osteoporosis [ 57 ], and there is extensive evidence from public health and social epidemiology that these processes are also at work in this time and place [ 58 , 59 ]. We look forward to the publication of more results from SVP-focused research that is currently ongoing and being developed, and to seeing which biomarkers and contextual clues prove to be most relevant in various US sociocultural contexts of medicolegal practice.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adapting forensic case reporting to account for marginalization and vulnerability

Kim,

Winburn,

Moore

et al. 2023

Forensic Science International: Synergy

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adapting forensic case reporting to account for marginalization and vulnerability

Kim,

Winburn,

Moore

et al. 2023

Forensic Science International: Synergy

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“…With nearly 40% of surveyed forensic anthropologists supporting supplementing case reports with indicators of gender expression at a time where no operational framework to do so exists, this could be a call to action to develop ways to provide ethically and scientifically rigorous professional observations. It is also critical that forensic anthropologists begin to routinely assess available material context and scene evidence following a blind analysis of skeletal remains, a shift in practice that we are not the first to advocate for, e.g., see [25,26,[174][175][176][177][178]. This additional evidence may provide key insight into the life and death experiences of individuals, contextualize skeletal findings, and promote the use of biocultural assessments and frameworks [78,[174][175][176][177][178] in forensic anthropology, rather than the medicalized biological assessment.…”

Section: Advocating For Sex-and Gender-diverse Peoplementioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is also critical that forensic anthropologists begin to routinely assess available material context and scene evidence following a blind analysis of skeletal remains, a shift in practice that we are not the first to advocate for, e.g., see [25,26,[174][175][176][177][178]. This additional evidence may provide key insight into the life and death experiences of individuals, contextualize skeletal findings, and promote the use of biocultural assessments and frameworks [78,[174][175][176][177][178] in forensic anthropology, rather than the medicalized biological assessment. Contextual evidence may include indicators of gender-affirming care for any decedent, including those who are transgender and gender-diverse (TGD), highlighting that this is mutually beneficial for those belonging to TGD and non-TGD communities [25,[179][180][181].…”

Section: Advocating For Sex-and Gender-diverse Peoplementioning

confidence: 99%

Speaking of Sex: Critical Reflections for Forensic Anthropologists

Flaherty,

Johnson,

Woollen

et al. 2023

Humans

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Forensic anthropologists have a responsibility to appropriately relay information about a decedent in medicolegal reports and when communicating with the public. The terms ‘sex’ and ‘sex estimation’ have been applied with numerous, inconsistent definitions under the guise that sex—a broad, complex concept—can be reduced to a female/male binary. This binary does not reflect biocultural realities and harms those whose bodies do not meet social expectations of maleness or femaleness. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Laboratory (UNLV FAB Lab) advocates for the use of the term ‘assigned sex at birth’ (ASAB) to highlight that binary sex is not biologically inherent to the body, but rather, assigned by society. Additionally, we call for the use of disclaimers in case reports to denote the limitations of ASAB estimation methods, the differentiation between those with mixed trait expression (i.e., indeterminate) and those on whom an ASAB analysis cannot be performed (i.e., unknown), and the included consideration of gender in forensic anthropology research and case reports. Such applications challenge biological normalcy, allowing forensic anthropologists to actively advocate for those whose bodies do not meet biocultural expectations.

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The relationship between cause of death and skeletal markers of physiological stress in the Hamann‐Todd collection

Simon,

Mellendorf,

Cheverko

et al. 2024

American Journal of Biological Anthropology

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ObjectivesSocioeconomic status, past stress events, and other factors may contribute to the cumulative burden of physiological stress, which influences an individual's susceptibility to mortality and cause of death (COD). Here, we explore the association between skeletal evidence of stress and COD in the Hamann‐Todd Osteological Collection (HTOC), a predominantly low socioeconomic status sample from the late 19th and early 20th century.Materials and MethodsSkeletal markers of stress including linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH), stature, and antemortem tooth loss (AMTL) were analyzed in 298 individuals in the HTOC. Recorded CODs were grouped into six broad categories and contrasted with stress indicators, ages‐at‐death, and demographic variables, using various parametric and non‐parametric statistical tests.ResultsCOD varied by socially ascribed race and sex within the sample. Overall, infectious diseases were more prevalent than degenerative diseases. Individuals that died of infectious diseases had significantly lower ages‐at‐death compared to degenerative diseases (p < 0.001). There was no association between LEH and COD (χ2 = 4.449, p = 0.487). Stature varied significantly across COD categories for males (F = 2.534, p = 0.032), but not females (F = 1.733, p = 0.132). Controlling for age‐at‐death, AMTL prevalence was associated with COD (H = 18.53, p = 0.002), with cardiovascular disease being associated with higher prevalence of AMTL.DiscussionThese findings show that some skeletal stress indicators are associated with COD in the HTOC, but the causal pathways of these relationships are not clear. This study adds to growing bodies of literature exploring relationships between past stress events and susceptibility to mortality and long‐term consequences of poor living conditions for past individuals.

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Antemortem tooth loss as a biomarker of poverty: Dental evidence of “weathering” in a contemporary U.S. skeletal sample

Cited by 4 publications

References 81 publications

Adapting forensic case reporting to account for marginalization and vulnerability

Adapting forensic case reporting to account for marginalization and vulnerability

Speaking of Sex: Critical Reflections for Forensic Anthropologists

The relationship between cause of death and skeletal markers of physiological stress in the Hamann‐Todd collection

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