Before vs. Now: Diet, Chewing & Jaw Size

In recent years, many dental problems affect daily life. One reason is the modern diet because the foods are sweeter, more processed, and softer, so people chew less, especially during growth. With lower masticatory load, dental arches can develop narrower and there is less space for the back teeth. Figure 2 from Silvester et al. (2021) shows how industrial samples have a different wear pattern compared with pre-industrial groups, consistent with changed chewing behavior. A second result of the same shift appears in Figure 2 from Adler et al. (2013): ancient dental calculus and modern plaque form separate clusters, meaning the oral microbiota moved toward a more cariogenic profile as starch and sugar increased. Together, these figures explain how dietary change across generations shaped human dentition smaller arches and limited posterior space related to third molars, and a higher caries risk due to a more cariogenic biofilm (Silvester et al. 2021; Adler et al. 2013).