Brief communication: First evidence of LSAMAT in non-native Americans: Historic Senegalese from West Africa

Abstract

To date, the distinctive dental wear pattern known as LSAMAT, or "lingual surface attrition of the maxillary anterior teeth," has been documented in prehistoric samples from Brazil, Panama, and Puerto Rico only. However, new data from a historic Senegalese sample reveals the first example of this wear pattern outside the Americas. The Senegal LSAMAT is present in 45% of 22 adult crania, and is associated with a caries rate of 40% in 38 adults (6.7% of 534 permanent teeth). A correlation between LSAMAT and caries was also observed in the Latin American samples. In these cases, it was hypothesized that LSAMAT was caused by the specialized consumption of an abrasive, high carbohydrate food, such as manioc. Manioc is a common cultigen in Senegal; thus, it may have also caused the African LSAMAT. The chewing of sugar cane could have been an additional, contributing factor.

Atypical dental wear patterns in individuals exhumed from a medieval Islamic necropolis of Santarém (Portugal)

“…LSAMAT was first reported in prehistoric native South Americans (Turner and Machado, 1983;Irish and Turner, 1987) and West Africa individuals (Irish and Turner, 1997) associated with a high prevalence of cariogenic lesions and attributed to consumption of abrasive carbohydrates (manioc and sugar cane). In Europe, LSAMAT shows lower frequencies and generally is not associated with cariogenic lesions (Alt and Pichler, 1995;Porr and Alt, 2006;Silva et al, 2016;Fidalgo et al, 2020).…”

Life and death at precolumbian Lavoutte, Saint Lucia, Lesser Antilles

“…5), and frequently occurs in other precolumbian Caribbean skeletal assemblages (e.g., Mickleburgh 2007Mickleburgh , 2011. The enamel is often worn away entirely, leaving the dentine exposed, and the remaining structure tends to have a polished appearance (Irish and Turner 1997;Robb et al 1991;Turner and Machado 1983;Turner et al 1991). Of these 13 individuals, six are female, five are male, and two individuals are of unknown sex.…”

Eighteenth and nineteenth century dental restoration, treatment and consequences in a British nobleman

“…The literature on enamel erosion and abrasion considers its relationship to such factors as dietary, regurgitative and industrial erosion, 6 consumption of acidic foods and drinks and modern dental hygiene. [7][8][9] In an eighteenth and nineteenth century context, the loss of labial enamel on anterior teeth, particularly along the cemento-enamel junction, is likely to reflect the use of an abrasive tooth powder or an acidic and erosive dental tincture. Such treatments were advocated to: '…eradicate the scurvy and tartar from the gums; make the teeth, however yellow, beautifully white; fasten such as are loose...' (Advertising for Hudson's botanic tooth-powder and tincture).…”