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Therapeutic Cauterization of Periodontal Abscesses in a Prehistoric Northwest Coast Woman
Author(s) -
Skinner Mark,
McLaren Marna,
Carlson Roy L.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
medical anthropology quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.855
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1548-1387
pISSN - 0745-5194
DOI - 10.1525/maq.1988.2.3.02a00060
Subject(s) - cauterization , prehistory , medicine , dentistry , molar , archaeology , geography , surgery
Severe alveolar resorption due to chronic marginal periodontitis is ubiquitous in prehistoric Northwest Coast skulls. Deliberate burning of infected dental tissue, associated with periodontal abscessing of severely worn mandibular left molars, is described in a female Native American from the Pendar Canal site (DeRt2), British Columbia, dating from 1090 ± 130 B.P. This is the first archeological evidence among prehistoric peoples of cauterization as a medical treatment for infected oral tissues.