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Wild primates get cavities (chimps are the worst)

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theconversation.com

We've proved that wild primates suffer from tooth decay – and chimps are among the worst

We studied 8,000 primate teeth and finally confirmed that humans are not the only living primate to suffer from cavities. But there are interesting differences.
theconversation.com theconversation.com

So we humans are not alone in suffering from tooth decay. One other interesting point is that captive primates share our pattern of cavities, with back teeth regularly affected more than the front. This is mostly due to being fed a diet containing processed sugars that differ from their natural foods.

In short, primates’ cavity patterns seem to be a reliable indicator of food-processing behaviours and diet – and therefore, tooth decay has the potential to offer unique ecological insight into both extinct and living primate groups.
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