Paleopathology of skeletal fluorosis

Littleton, Judith

doi:10.1002/(sici)1096-8644(199908)109:4<465::aid-ajpa4>3.0.co;2-t

Cited by 45 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…However, it is unlikely that large numbers of individuals will be affected by these diseases, except in some unusual circumstances e.g. endemic fluorosis (Littleton, 1999), and this is unlikely to have biased the present study. While the problems associated with the methods are important they are not the most significant limitations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Subsistence strategy changes: The evidence of entheseal changes

Henderson

2013

HOMO

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Changes in subsistence strategy have caused some of the profoundest changes to the structure and health of humans. This study aims to test whether these changes have reduced work-load as assessed by entheseal changes. Entheseal changes, formerly called musculoskeletal stress markers, are thought to reflect muscle usage throughout life, although it is widely agreed that they have a multifactorial origin. This paper uses a meta-analysis of comparable published data to plot trends in time by muscle, enthesis type and sex. The results show that agriculturalists have the lowest scores for entheseal changes, with hunte-gatherers next highest and those working in industry the highest. These findings are the same for males and females, for most muscles and muscle groups. However, entheseal changes are highly correlated with increased age and the age distributions of the samples analysed could not be compared. It is, therefore, possible that differences in age distribution of the samples are one of the reasons for this finding. Recommendations are provided to reduce this and other limitations for future meta-analyses.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Subsistence strategy changes: The evidence of entheseal changes

Henderson

2013

HOMO

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“…Fluorosis is a disturbance of dental development resulting from ingestion of large quantities of fluoride [11,101]. These dental abnormalities include opaque white patches in the enamel.…”

Section: Differential Diagnosismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These dental abnormalities include opaque white patches in the enamel. This can result in pitting, striations, and widespread brown staining [101][102][103][104]. Skeletal pathologies include abnormal bone formations on the appendicular or axial skeleton, mostly linked with the insertions of tendons and ligaments [11].…”

Section: Differential Diagnosismentioning

confidence: 99%

Diagnosis of Mercurial Teeth in a Possible Case of Congenital Syphilis and Tuberculosis in a 19th Century Child Skeleton

Ioannou

Henneberg

et al. 2015

Journal of Anthropology

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Without the presence of “caries sicca,” “sabre shins,” and nodes/expansion of the long bones with superficial cavitation, differential diagnosis of venereal syphilis and tuberculosis (TB) may be difficult as various infections produce similar responses. However, congenital syphilis has distinctive features facilitating a diagnosis. A case study of remains of a juvenile European settler (probably male, 8–10 years old) (B70) buried in the 19th century and excavated in 2000 from the cemetery of the Anglican Church of St. Marys in South Australia is presented. B70 demonstrated that the two diseases might have been present in the same individual, congenital syphilis and TB. Widespread destruction of vertebral bodies and kyphosis-related rib deformations indicate advanced TB. Severe dental hypoplasia is limited to permanent incisors and first molars; there is pitting on the palate, periosteal reaction on the skull vault, and thinned clavicles. Dental signs are not limited to “screwdriver” central incisors and mulberry molars. Apical portions of the crowns of permanent upper, lower, central, and lateral incisors have multiple hypoplastic-disorganized defects; deciduous canines have severely hypoplastic crowns while possibly hypoplastic occlusal surfaces of lower deciduous second molars are largely destroyed by extensive caries. These dental abnormalities resemble teeth affected by mercurial treatment in congenital syphilitic patients as described by Hutchinson.

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“…It is caused primarily by the prolonged ingestion of fluoride-rich drinking water, which is most often groundwater that has percolated through and leached volcanic and sedimentary deposits (McGill 1995;Krishnamachari 1986;Calderon 2000;WHO 2001;Ayenew 2008). Archaeological evidence suggests it occurred in ancient communities such as at Herculaneum near Vesuvius (Torino et al 1995) and Bahrain Island, Bahrain c. 250 BC-250 AD (Littleton 1999).…”

Section: Fluorosismentioning

confidence: 99%

Dental fluorosis linked to degassing of Ambrym volcano, Vanuatu: a novel exposure pathway

Allibone

Cronin

Charley

et al. 2010

Environ Geochem Health

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Ambrym in Vanuatu is a persistently degassing island volcano whose inhabitants harvest rainwater for their potable water needs. The findings from this study indicate that dental fluorosis is prevalent in the population due to fluoride contamination of rainwater by the volcanic plume. A dental survey was undertaken of 835 children aged 6-18 years using the Dean's Index of Fluorosis. Prevalence of dental fluorosis was found to be 96% in the target area of West Ambrym, 71% in North Ambrym, and 61% in Southeast Ambrym. This spatial distribution appears to reflect the prevailing winds and rainfall patterns on the island. Severe cases were predominantly in West Ambrym, the most arid part of the island, and the most commonly affected by the volcanic plume. Over 50 km downwind, on a portion of Malakula Island, the dental fluorosis prevalence was 85%, with 36% prevalence on Tongoa Island, an area rarely affected by volcanic emissions. Drinking water samples from West Ambrym contained fluoride levels from 0.7 to 9.5 ppm F (average 4.2 ppm F, n = 158) with 99% exceeding the recommended concentration of 1.0 ppm F. The pathway of fluoride-enriched rainwater impacting upon human health as identified in this study has not previously been recognised in the aetiology of fluorosis. This is an important consideration for populations in the vicinity of degassing volcanoes, particularly where rainwater comprises the primary potable water supply for humans or animals.

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Paleopathology of skeletal fluorosis

Cited by 45 publications

References 44 publications

Subsistence strategy changes: The evidence of entheseal changes

Subsistence strategy changes: The evidence of entheseal changes

Diagnosis of Mercurial Teeth in a Possible Case of Congenital Syphilis and Tuberculosis in a 19th Century Child Skeleton

Dental fluorosis linked to degassing of Ambrym volcano, Vanuatu: a novel exposure pathway

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