A study of changes in deciduous dentition of skeletal remains of Japanese in terms of dietary habits

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K07583
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Physical anthropology
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: SUZUKI Toshihiko 東北大学, 歯学研究科, 准教授 (70261518)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 乳歯 / 咬耗 / 日本人 / モンゴル人 / 古人骨

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The morphological changes in the primary dentition of various human populations have studied in terms of the dietary habits in childhood. The progression of attrition of the deciduous teeth was not necessarily as advanced as in populations of older period. However, a strong progression of attrition was observed in the anterior teeth of Jomon people, and the characteristic food intakes of hunter-gatherer in childhood was suggsested. In modern Mongolian children, it was suggested that the use of deciduous molars is advanced more pronounced than in modern Japanese. It is generally said that the food intake in Mongolian children depends on meat, and it is assumed that the fact is reflected by the difference of characteristic attrition pattern of deciduous dentition between Mongolian and Japanese children.

Free Research Field

形質人類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

食物の摂取状態や，食材は歯の咬耗に反映される。様々な時代や国の集団について咬耗を調査することで，何をどのように食べていたかを知ることができる。本研究は，乳歯の咬耗を調査分析することで，今まで十分知られていなかった過去から現代までの幼児期の食生活について新たな知見を得ることができた。幼児期の食生活はその後の食生活を形成する重要なものであり，本研究の成果は我々人類が未来に進む方向性に対して食生活の観点から示唆を与えるものである。