Bad teeth tormented ancient Egyptians

Washington, December 4 (ANI): A systematic review of more than 3,000 mummy analyses has revealed that ancient Egyptians suffered from periodontal diseases, abscesses and cavities.

According to a report in Discovery News, an example of bad teeth in ancient Egyptians can be found in the mummy of Seqenenre Tao II, which was among 3,000 specimens analyzed for cause of death.

The mask on the mummy has marks from the axe blow and the two spear thrusts that brought about his death.

Worn teeth, periodontal diseases, abscesses and cavities tormented the ancient Egyptians, according to the first systematic review of all studies performed on Egyptian mummies in the past 30 years.

After examining research of more than 3,000 mummies, anatomists and paleopathologists at the University of Zurich concluded that 18 percent of all mummies in case reports showed a nightmare array of dental diseases.

"Evidence of dental disorders is plentiful because usually teeth are among the best preserved parts of a body. As for other diseases, the published studies do not always provide in-depth details. Nevertheless, we came across some interesting findings," said senior author and medical doctor Frank Ruhli, head of the Swiss Mummy Project at the University of Zurich.

The review takes into consideration all studies published since 1977, when computed tomography was first applied to ancient Egyptian mummies.

CT imaging revealed an impressive collection of diseases, including bone disorders, infections and traumas being the most common disorders. (ANI)