Early Deaths Linked To Tooth Enamel Defects

A recent study by anthropologist George Armelagos published in Evolutionary Anthropology suggests that individuals born with enamel defects had a lower life expectancy by twelve years than those without the defect. A similar example from remains in Illinois showed a difference of 15.4 years.

His paper summarizes the evidence that many adult diseases actually originate during the foetal development period and early childhood.

What is the cause?

Poor nutrition, psychological trauma and infectious diseases cause tooth enamel defects. We know this because tooth enamel secretes in a ring-like fashion similar to the rings that show on a cut tree trunk and begins during the second trimester.

As a dental health insurance provider Dencover insurance understands that tooth enamel is like an open book of how food and stress effects a child development. The chronology of tooth enamel development shows the periods of stress or general unhealthy living of the mother during the child's developmental period. Disruptions lifestyle cause disruption in tooth enamel formation.

Armelagos and other anthropologist have been studying the connection between dental enamel defects and premature mortality for years.

The Armelagos study reviewed evidence from eight published studies of remains dating as far back as one million years and supports epidemiologist David Barker's 1980's hypothesis linking infant health and later adult health.

The effects remain true today, stress and poor nutrition during pregnancy will affect the child's health throughout its life.