- Posted on: May 12 2015
A recent study conducted by the Universities of Bradford and Durham found that by studying baby teeth, it may be possible to predict the health of a child. Researchers studied the baby teeth of several children growing up in several different scenarios during the 19th century. They found that how the teeth developed and their condition was directly associated with the health of the children and even whether they survived childhood.
Lead researcher Dr Julia Beaumont from Bradford’s School of Archaeological Sciences said, “We know that stress and poor diet in mothers, both during pregnancy and after birth, can have an impact on a child’s development. In the past that could mean a child didn’t survive; now it’s more likely to mean a child has a greater risk of health issues in later life. While sometimes there are obvious signs of maternal stress in the baby at birth, such as a low birth weight, that isn’t always the case. So a simple test on teeth that are naturally shed by children as they grow could provide useful information about future health risks.”
Tagged with: baby teeth, child teeth, Dental Health, Dental News, teeth
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