Research into dental care of ancient Neanderthals has uncovered a surprising finding.
Key takeaways:
– Dental plaque preserves DNA for thousands of years, allowing a unique insight into dental habits of ancient times.
– The DNA from dental plaque of one Neanderthal who appeared to have a dental abscess showed consumption of poplar, which contains salicylic acid, the active ingredient in aspirin.
– A natural antibiotic mold was also identified, although this was 40000 years before antibiotics were officially identified.
“Neanderthals possessed a good knowledge of medicinal plants and their various anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, and seemed to be self-medicating,”
Read the full story here: https://consumer.healthday.com/dental-and-oral-information-9/misc-dental-problem-news-174/toothache-neanderthals-might-have-reached-for-aspirin-too-720397.html
