- Neanderthals used stone drills to treat tooth cavities nearly 60,000 years ago
- A molar from Siberia shows the oldest evidence of complex dental care by Neanderthals
- Grooves on the tooth suggest the use of toothpicks alongside drilling treatment
New research has revealed that early human relatives were carrying out dental procedures long before modern tools and anesthetics existed. Scientists have found evidence suggesting that Neanderthals treated tooth infections using simple tools tens of thousands of years ago, reported NYPost.
According to the study, Neanderthal dentists were using stone drills to treat cavities nearly 60,000 years ago, which is more than 40,000 years earlier than previously believed.
The findings are based on a tooth discovered in Chagyrskaya Cave in Siberia, Russia, which scientists say provides the oldest evidence of complex dental care.
The research, published in the journal PLOS One, shows that Neanderthals had the ability to identify tooth infections and the skill to remove damaged parts of a tooth.
The discovery centres on a single molar that is around 59,000 years old. The tooth shows clear physical alterations that indicate treatment for infection.
Dr. Alisa Zubova explained that there is a deep hole in the centre of the tooth that extends into the pulp cavity. The research team also carried out experiments on three modern human teeth. These experiments showed that similar holes and microscopic groove patterns can be created by drilling with a stone point like those found in the cave.
She further noted that, in addition to the drilled hole, there are grooves along the side of the tooth that suggest the use of toothpicks.
Dr. Zubova stated that the procedure would have caused pain but would have ultimately reduced the discomfort of a tooth infection by removing the damaged part of the tooth. She added that these modifications show Neanderthals could identify the source of pain, decide on treatment, perform the procedure with skill, and endure pain to prevent future discomfort.
She also said that this is the first time such behaviour has been demonstrated outside of Homo sapiens and that it represents the oldest known example by more than 40,000 years.
Dr. Zubova, a senior researcher at the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography in St. Petersburg, said that this finding currently represents the world's oldest evidence of successful dental treatment.
She explained that the damage on the Neanderthal tooth indicates intentional pulp removal and wear that occurred while the individual was still alive. She added that areas of demineralisation were found, showing remnants of tooth decay and supporting the idea that the cavity was treated.
Dr. Zubova further said that the shape of the cavity differed from normal tooth structure and did not match typical patterns of decay seen in modern humans. She noted that visible scratches suggest the damage was not natural but caused intentionally.
She also explained that advanced imaging revealed changes in the tooth consistent with severe decay. While human treatment of tooth decay has been seen in later historical periods, the team believes this example represents a much earlier form of medical intervention.
