Dental Ritual Mutilations and Forensic Odontologist Practice: a Review of the Literature

Pinchi, Vilma; Barbieri, Patrizia; Pradella, Francesco; Focardi, Martina; Bartolini, Viola; Norelli, Gian Aristide

doi:10.15644/asc49/1/1

Cited by 27 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…This is done for aesthetic purposes but also to reduce the person's perceived similarity to dogs [66,68]. Black teeth signal entrance into adult society in these communities and thus traits associated with maturity [66,67]. Individuals with the culturally sanctioned gap in their teeth are recognised as ingroup members and, therefore, more likely to be trusted as potential collaborators [70].…”

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confidence: 99%

“…A number of cultures engage in dental filing to change the shape of their teeth including communities living in the Amazon valley, Bali, Cameroon, Congo, Guinea, Zaire, Uganda and Tanzania[66]. Ritual filing of the teeth carries different social messages in different cultures.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…For example, the Dinka, Nuer and Maban living in the Sudan extract their lower incisors and sometimes also their canines in a coming of age ritual. Similarly, in South Africa, certain communities in Cape Town remove teeth as a rite of passage in adolescence[66].…”

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confidence: 99%

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Ritual and the origins of first impressions

Over

Eggleston

Cook

2020

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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When encountering a stranger for the first time, adults spontaneously attribute to them a wide variety of character traits based solely on their physical appearance, most notably from their face. While these trait inferences exert a pervasive influence over our behaviour, their origins remain unclear. Whereas nativist accounts hold that first impressions are a product of gene-based natural selection, the Trait Inference Mapping framework (TIM) posits that we learn face–trait mappings ontogenetically as a result of correlated face–trait experience. Here, we examine the available anthropological evidence on ritual in order to better understand the mechanism by which first impressions from faces are acquired. Consistent with the TIM framework, we argue that examination of ritual body modification performed by communities around the world demonstrates far greater cross-cultural variability in face–trait mappings than currently appreciated. Furthermore, rituals of this type may be a powerful mechanism through which face–trait associations are transmitted from one generation to the next. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Ritual renaissance: new insights into the most human of behaviours'.

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Ritual and the origins of first impressions

Over

Eggleston

Cook

2020

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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“…Almost all participants were from the Luo ethnic group. The Kenyan Luo ethnic group practice traditional tooth extraction in the six lower anterior permanent teeth as a rite of passage into adulthood [20]. Almost 90% of the participants underwent the extraction of their six lower teeth in this study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Perceived general health in relation to oral health status in a rural Kenyan elderly population

Fukuda¹,

Hayashi

Toda

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Background: This study aimed to determine the present oral health status of the rural Kenyan elderly population and to investigate whether oral health status is associated with the perceived general health.Methods: A total of 131 individuals aged 65 years and over in Mbita District, Nyanza Province, Kenya, were randomly selected and visited at home. The home visit study, which was conducted from 2014 to 2016, included oral examination by a dentist and administration of a self-reporting questionnaire. The number of teeth present and functional tooth unit (FTU) points were calculated using the dental chart. Perceived general health, subjective masticatory ability, and periodontal symptoms were collected using a self-recorded questionnaire sheet.Fisher’s exact test and nonparametric test were used to determine the difference in percentage and means. The odds ratio of good general health based on the participants’ masticatory satisfaction was calculated by logistic analysis.Results: Satisfactory mastication was dependent on the number of teeth present, FTU points, and periodontal symptoms. Furthermore, satisfactory mastication was associated with perceived general health status independent of sex and age. The adjusted odds ratio of good perceived general health was 2.29 (95% confidence interval, 1.05–4.99) for participants who had the subjective masticatory ability.Conclusion: Among the Kenyan elderly population, satisfactory mastication was dependent on the number of teeth present, FTU points, and periodontal symptoms. Furthermore, satisfactory mastication was associated with perceived general health status independent of sex and age.

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“…[4] They give us clues about the socioeconomic status of the population, their sociocultural status, migratory routes and cultural interactions. [1,5,6] Today, it exists in various other forms such as tooth diamonds, gold crowns, dental grills, tooth tattoos, tooth rings, tooth piercings, oral and perioral piercings. This review embarks on a journey from the past to the present, to understand the evolution of dental jewelry and the possible underlying reasons for its persistent presence in the society.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Say Cheese” is Passé, “Say Bling” is Here - The Evolution of Dental Jewelry: A Review

Joys¹,

Karuppaiah²,

Garla³

et al. 2016

Journal of Advanced Oral Research

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The search for bodily beauty is as old as time and so is the concept of esthetics. [1] The thirst for bodily beauty has been existing in man from time immemorial. Although man has tried innumerable ways to adorn and beautify himself, this thirst seems unquenchable. Piercings, tattoos, body paintings, haircuts, and intentional scarring or scarifications are some of the various ways man has been trying to beautify and make himself unique. [2,3] Every culture has its own perception of beauty and teeth are considered as a focal point in the determination of wealth and fashion across many cultures. [2] Dental alterations remain the most frequent of all body modifications. [1] Healthy teeth represent youth, beauty, strength, and health. Dental modification is an ancient practice that has existed throughout history and is still practiced today in many parts of the world. Dental modifications are a valuable contribution to the identification of individuals with respect to geography, ethnicity, and culture. [4] They give us clues about the socioeconomic status of the population, their sociocultural status, migratory routes and cultural interactions. [1,5,6] Today, it exists in various other forms such as tooth diamonds, gold crowns, dental grills, tooth tattoos, tooth rings, tooth piercings, oral and perioral piercings. This review embarks on a journey from the past to the present, to understand the evolution of dental jewelry and the possible underlying reasons for its persistent presence in the society.

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Dental Ritual Mutilations and Forensic Odontologist Practice: a Review of the Literature

Cited by 27 publications

References 21 publications

Ritual and the origins of first impressions

Ritual and the origins of first impressions

Perceived general health in relation to oral health status in a rural Kenyan elderly population

“Say Cheese” is Passé, “Say Bling” is Here - The Evolution of Dental Jewelry: A Review

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