Paleoepidemiology of Peridontal Disease and Dental Calculus in the Windover Population (8BR246)

The skeletal remains from the Windover site (8BR246) provide a unique opportunity to understand the dental health of an Archaic period hunter-gatherer population. Windover is a mortuary pond located in Brevard County, Florida, dated to approximately 7400 years B.P. Excavations at the site recovered at least 168 individuals, which is one of the largest and best-preserved skeletal collections of this antiquity from North America. This thesis analyzes the epidemiology of periodontal disease and dental calculus at Windover. Mild forms of both of these dental health problems are common in the Windover population, with only a small percentage of individuals affected by severe periodontal disease or dental calculus. The prevalence of periodontal disease and dental calculus increases with age, but the distribution of these dental health problems is not significantly associated with sex in the Windover sample. The relationship between periodontal disease and other dental health characteristics, including alveolar bone defects, caries, and abscesses, is also assessed. The relative importance of hereditary factors in periodontal disease susceptibility is evaluated through a discussion of periodontal disease prevalence in two Windover lineages that are hypothesized to be genetically distinct. Comparison of the periodontal disease prevalence at Windover with other early Florida hunter-gatherer populations reveals variability between these populations, indicating that factors other than diet may affect susceptibility to periodontal disease. Etiological and demographic factors that may account for variability between these populations are suggested. Factors that may influence the prevalence and severity of periodontal disease in past populations include dental calculus, age, sex, alveolar bone defects, susceptibility to dental health problems, and heredity.