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A Study of the Potential of Deciduous Incisor Wear as an Indicator of Weaning Using a Human Skeletal Population
Author(s) -
Mays S.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
international journal of osteoarchaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1099-1212
pISSN - 1047-482X
DOI - 10.1002/oa.2464
Subject(s) - breastfeeding , deciduous teeth , weaning , dentistry , medicine , incisor , population , breast feeding , orthodontics , pediatrics , environmental health
The aim of this work is to investigate the potential of wear on the earliest erupting teeth, the deciduous central incisors, for studying weaning in human skeletal populations. The study group is from mediaeval Wharram Percy, where existing δ 15 N data indicate cessation of breastfeeding occurred by about 24 months post‐partum . The hypothesis tested is that there should be an increase in dental wear as breast milk is replaced with solid foods during weaning. Incisor wear is monitored using crown heights, measured from photographs using image analysis. Results provide little evidence for alteration in incisor wear rates with the attenuation of breastfeeding, perhaps because abrasive foods were used as supplements well before breastfeeding declined. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.