Archaeologists discover how Vikings cared for their teeth

Anisha Hall Hoppe, Dental Tribune International

Tue. 9. January 2024

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GOTHENBURG, Sweden: The study of well-preserved teeth and jaws unearthed by archaeologists is vital to understanding the daily life, health, diet and dental conditions of specific time periods and regions. A recent study has probed specifically into the dental pathology of the Viking Age based on remains found in Varnhem in Sweden, and its findings corroborate an increasing trend in dental caries from prehistoric times to the nineteenth century reported in the literature.

To learn more about the practices that shaped the dental health of the ancient people of the area, archaeologists undertook excavations in 2005 at Varnhem Abbey, which provided sufficient intact remains to study the dental conditions of the people in detail. The site includes a large cemetery with graves from the tenth to twelfth centuries. The remains of 171 individuals, including those with complete and partial dentition, and permanent, primary and mixed dentition, were selected by the researchers for their analysis. Altogether, 3,293 teeth were evaluated.

The researchers indicated that almost half the population had at least one carious lesion. The adult population showed a higher prevalence of caries, 62% having at least one carious lesion. The root surface was the most susceptible to caries, followed by occlusal, mesial, distal, lingual and palatal surfaces. While the adults appear to have lost about 6% of their teeth (not including third molars), children with primary or mixed dentition had no evidence of any caries.

An example of Viking dentistry from the archaeological dig indicates holes were drilled to relieve infection. (Image: Carolina Bertilsson/University of Gothenburg)

Lead author Dr Carolina Bertilsson, an associate researcher at the University of Gothenburg, stated in a press release, “There were several signs that the Vikings had modified their teeth, including evidence of using toothpicks, filing front teeth, and even dental treatment of teeth with infections. This is very exciting to see, and not unlike the dental treatments we carry out today when we drill into infected teeth. The Vikings seem to have had knowledge about teeth, but we don’t know whether they did these procedures themselves or had help.”

The researchers documented filled cavities in molars that even extended into the pulp as a means to treat infection. They also noted that apical infections were present in 4% of the teeth.

The findings provide insights into the everyday life and dental health of the Vikings, indicating common issues such as caries, tooth loss, infections and tooth pain. These discoveries help fill in gaps in existing knowledge about the Viking Age and contribute to scientific understanding of disease patterns over time. The findings in this study are particularly impressive considering the available resources of the given period.

The study, titled “Caries prevalence and other dental pathological conditions in Vikings from Varnhem, Sweden”, was published online on 13 December 2023 in PLOS ONE.