Sex differences in caries frequencies among pre-historic populations: cultural and/or biological factors

• Grant number: 14/26657-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2015
• End date: April 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Archeology - Prehistoric Archaeology
• Principal Investigator: Sabine Eggers
• Grantee: Maria Rita Guedes Carvalho
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this project is to confront and test hypotheses about the causes of higher caries frequencies found in women than men. Numerous bioarcheological works report on higher caries frequencies in women than men. However, there is a lack of systematic comparisons among peoples from different cultural backgrounds. In this project, therefore, 14 pre-historic populations of South America, with distinct diets, cultural habits, and lifestyles but comparable genetic background will be statistically analyzed. In order to elucidate the influence of cultural factors, the caries prevalence’s of adult women and men belonging to different subsistence patterns (fishermen, hunter-gathers, and agriculturalists) and ecological settings (coast versus mountain, Atlantic versus Pacific seashore) will be contrasted. This approach will allow shedding new light on this old phenomenon.