“Dental Health Diet and Social Status among Central African Foragers and Farmers.”

This study focuses on dental health, diet, and social status among different Central African populations, particularly pygmy hunter-gatherers (Aka, Mbuti, Efe) and Bantu horticulturalists. The study aimed to understand the relationship between dental health, diet, social status, and oral hygiene practices among these groups. The authors used dental health data to investigate how factors like diet composition, access to cariogenic foods (foods that cause tooth decay), social status, and oral hygiene practices influence the oral health of these populations.

One of the main concepts is the connection between diet and dental health. Diets rich in carbohydrates, particularly refined sugars, are associated with higher rates of dental caries (cavities), while diets high in animal protein and fat tend to result in lower caries rates. This aligns with the broader understanding in dental anthropology that diet plays a significant role in shaping dental health outcomes. Pygmy populations, due to their lifestyle and limited access to refined carbohydrates, have lower rates of various lesions compared to Bantu populations, who consume more sugary foods. This concept relates to the study of dental anthropology as it highlights how food choices directly affect oral health.

The study also explores differences in dental health based on social status. Among the pygmy groups, leaders have better dental health than non-leaders, possibly due to differences in diet and access to resources. This concept demonstrates that social factors can influence oral health outcomes, shedding light on how socio-economic and cultural factors intersect with dental health in anthropology.

Sex differences also play a major role in dental health among different populations. Pygmy women tend to have more carious lesions and missing teeth than men, which could be influenced by differences in diet, lifestyle, or hormonal factors. Dental anthropology often investigates how sex and gender play a role in dental health patterns.

The study's findings contribute to a broader understanding of how diet, lifestyle, social dynamics, and cultural practices influence dental health and patterns of dental disease among different populations. It underscores the interdisciplinary nature of dental anthropology, which involves combining insights from biology, archaeology, cultural anthropology, and other disciplines to examine the relationships between oral health, human biology, and sociocultural factors.

Walker, Phillip L., and Barry S. Hewlett. “Dental Health Diet and Social Status among Central African Foragers and Farmers.” American Anthropologist, vol. 92, no. 2, June 1990, pp. 383–398, https://doi.org/10.1525/aa.1990.92.2.02a00080.