Stone Age Diet and Dental Health Revealed Through DNA Analysis of Ancient Chewing Gum

The 9,700-year-old birch bark pitch, chewed by teenagers in Scandinavia, contained traces of deer, trout, hazelnuts, and bacteria associated with gum disease.

• DNA analysis of 9,700-year-old chewing gum, made from birch bark pitch, reveals the diet of Stone Age teenagers in Scandinavia.
• The teenagers, who were likely both male and female, consumed deer, trout, and hazelnuts.
• One teenager, who had been chewing the resin, likely suffered from severe periodontitis, a gum infection.
• The DNA analysis also revealed the presence of bacteria associated with tooth decay, systemic diseases, and abscesses, though at levels not clearly above those expected in a healthy oral microbiome.
• The study, which required the adaptation and development of new analytical strategies, represents a significant step in understanding human culture during the Stone Age.

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