Approximately 50% of Swedish Vikings suffered from tooth decay and were trying to recover from it. This was shown by a study of the teeth and skulls of ancient Swedes published in the journal. PLOS ONE.
In 2005, ruins of a Christian church were discovered in Sweden. Graves dating back to the 10th to 12th centuries have also been discovered on its territory. In the new study, researchers analyzed more than 2,300 teeth from 171 individuals. While more than 60% of mature individuals showed signs of caries (mostly on the root surface), none of the juveniles showed caries. The prevalence of dental caries in Swedish Vikings was generally similar to that in other European populations during the same period. Other pathologies were also observed: infections, tooth loss.
Scientists also found several teeth with signs of wear, possibly from humans trying to eliminate tooth decay. In some people, the decay was so severe that it caused toothache. Some teeth were also found to have scratches consistent with picking marks from cleaning food debris.
Previous scientists discovered Microbes prevented parts of the Great Wall from collapsing.