Dental calculus, or tartar, present in a 1000-year-old skeleton has helped researchers find “microbial Pompeii.” The study showed that the germs that affected our ancestors continue to cause cavities in modern humans. Interestingly, the study also shows that microbes had the same genetic signature centuries before the arrival of antibiotics. Their research shows that dental calculus contains valuable information about microbial life affecting early humans. About 32 scientists at twelve institutions in seven countries participated in the current study. They analyzed the DNA of the ancient oral cavity to learn…
