The analysis of oral pathologies is routinely a part of bioarchaeological and paleopathological investigations. Oral health, while certainly interesting by itself, is also potentially informative about general or systemic health. Numerous studies within modern populations have shown associations between oral pathologies and other diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and pulmonary infections. This paper addresses the question of how oral health was associated with general health in past populations by examining the relationship between two oral pathologies (periodontal disease and dental caries) and the risk of mortality in a cemetery sample from medieval England. The effects of periodontitis and dental caries on risk of death were assessed using a sample of 190 individuals from the St. Mary Graces, London cemetery dating to approximately A.D. 1350–1538. The results suggest that the oral pathologies are associated with elevated risks of mortality in the St. Mary Graces cemetery, such that individuals with periodontitis and dental caries were more likely to die than their peers without such pathologies. The results shown here suggest that these oral pathologies can be used as informative indicators of general health in past populations.

These results might indicate strong selective mortality operating during childhood or the effects of migration in the industrial-era population of London.

Numerous studies have demonstrated significant associations between periodontal disease and many other diseases in living populations, and some studies have shown that individuals with periodontal disease are at elevated risks of mortality. Recent analysis of a medieval skeletal sample from London has also shown that periodontal disease was associated with increased risks of mortality in the past. This study examines whether periodontal disease is associated with periosteal lesions in a skeletal sample from the urban St. Mary Graces cemetery (n = 265) from medieval London. The results reveal a significant association between periodontal disease and periosteal lesions in the St. Mary Graces sample (i.e., individuals with periodontal disease were also likely to have periosteal lesions), and the association between the two is independent of age. The association between the two pathological conditions might reflect underlying reduced immune competence and thus heightened susceptibility to pathogens that cause periodontal disease or periosteal lesions, exposure to an environmental factor, or underlying heightened inflammatory responses.

24The trillions of microorganisms that live in association with the human body 25 (microbiota) are critical for human health and disease, but there is a limited 26 understanding of how cultural and environmental factors shaped our microbiota 27 diversity through time. However, biomolecular remnants of the human oral 28 microbiota -recovered from the calcified dental plaque (calculus) of our long-dead 29ancestors -are providing a new means of exploring this key relationship of our 30 evolutionary history. Here, we correlate extensive experimental, archaeological, and 31 biological metadata with 128 ancient dental calculus specimens from Medieval and 32Post-Medieval London, UK (1066 -1853 CE). We identify a significant association 33 between microbiota and oral geography (i.e. tooth type and tooth surface), which has 34 confounded ancient microbiota studies to date. By controlling for oral geography, 35 however, we identify the first associations between ancient microbiota and cultural 36 and environmental signatures. We find significant links between ancient British 37 microbiota structure and health, including skeletal markers of stress that may reflect 38 low socioeconomic status. Furthermore, this study provides baseline data to explore 39 factors that drive microbiota differentiation within and between ancient populations 40 and highlights the potential of ancient microbiota to infer detailed health and socio-41 cultural information about the past.

When recorded consistently, HFI was positively correlated with age and longevity but had also increased among old age females over time. Our results suggest that nulliparity co-occurs with HFI but is not a primary factor in its pathogenesis. Key factors in HFI presence in females are likely to be increased androgens and the dysregulation of insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1.

Developmental enamel defects (DDE) are often used as indicators of general health in past archaeological populations. DDE include three common types of lesions: hypoplasia, diffuse, and demarcated opacities. Molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) was defined in 2001 as a qualitative enamel defect affecting first permanent molars and often permanent incisors. The European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry established criteria to diagnose MIH in current populations as demarcated white or yellow‐brown opacities of enamel with or without posteruptive breakdown. MIH is prevalent in current populations (average 14.2%) and may cause important damage to first permanent molars. Aetiological factors are uncertain. The discovery of MIH in archaeological skeletal collections based on macroscopic examination has been reported previously, in particular by Ogden and colleagues (2008). If MIH exists in past populations, there are profound implications regarding current aetiological hypotheses. Aims of the present study were to (a) reassess the London postmedieval archaeological collection from which the first cases of MIH were reported and evaluate the reliability of MIH diagnosis criteria in past populations and (b) differentially diagnose developmental defects of enamel and post mortem discoloration in the teeth. Contrary to the reported prevalence in the original study (93.2%), among 47 subadult (>18 years) individuals, a low MIH prevalence was determined (27%). Reliability of MIH diagnosis was tested with three MIH experts who were also physical anthropologists. Our study highlighted that the reliability of a macroscopic diagnosis of MIH in past populations is fair (Cohen's kappa = 0.35 ± 0.11; Fleiss's kappa = 0.3). It could explain the large differential in prevalence values in studies performed in archaeological collections. Pathological and taphonomic agents can produce enamel modifications indistinguishable from one another, even to an “experienced eye.” Here, we examined the literature to highlight potential differential diagnoses of MIH (taphonomic discoloration, amelogenesis imperfecta, fluorosis, rachitic teeth, etc.). Employing nondestructive analyses to characterise and diagnose tooth discoloration in past populations is highly recommended.

There has recently been an increase in popularity of the direct anterior approach (DAA) hip arthroplasty, due to the muscle sparing nature of its interneural intervals, with the innominate tubercle being used as a lateral reference point for the femoral neck osteotomy. However, there is very little information in the literature on this rather enigmatic structure, with no evidence as to whether it is a consistent and reliable marker, or if it varies significantly in the population. In this study, data were gathered from 79 pairs of adult, post-medieval skeletal femora to investigate the effects of sex, age, femoral side, femoral length, femoral neck length, and femoral neck-shaft angle on the width, length, and height of the innominate tubercle. The sex, age, and date of death of the individuals had been recorded. Statistical analysis included canonical correlation and multivariate multiple regression. We found that there was no statistical significance or correlation between the width, length, or height of the tubercle with respect to any of the variables investigated. These results suggest that the innominate tubercle does not differ markedly between individuals in the Caucasian population, and, is therefore, a reliable landmark for femoral neck osteotomy during DAA hip arthroplasty. We present what we believe to be a definitive survey of the variability of the innominate tubercle in a Caucasian population. Clin. Anat. 30:578-584, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Archaeological skeletal material from most sites represents a cross-sectional, opportunistic sample of the burials. These are influenced by the proportion and area of the site that is excavated, the taphonomic conditions, and survival of tissues. This may not be representative of the population, and in an attritional cemetery may represent a long period of use, during which humans will have differing life courses. Here we describe a commingled skeletal assemblage, the only human remains recovered from the historically significant medieval site of St Stephen's Chapel, Palace of Westminster, London. Using carbon (δ 13 C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N) stable isotope ratios of bulk bone collagen and incremental dentine to investigate dietary life histories from five individuals, we combine the evidence with radiocarbon dating to assign them to two different temporal cohorts.