Hacker News Reader

Comment by forgotmypw3 | Hacker News Reader

In addition to all the other arguments here (more chewing for bigger jaw development), I have another theory about tooth decay.

I think that pre-civilization humans did not eat much sweets past adolescence. This is because, as soon as a minor cavity starts developing, it hurts like hell to put anything sweet in your mouth. Sweet stuff was for children and adolescents, then we just stopped eating it.

View on HN

> I think that pre-civilization humans did not eat much sweets past adolescence

Pre-civilisation humans wouldn't have had "sweets" as we know them. They would have occasionally had unrefined sugars through honey or palm sugar, and at certain times of the year had fruits (which most likely wouldn't even have been as sweet as they are now)

I see you're the same person that posted somewhere else, but for what it's worth, I agree that minor tooth pain is a great motivator not to keep eating things that will turn it into major tooth pain.

That pain is caused by nerve-connected dentin.

Unless the cavities go all the way through, recessed gingiva expose cementum that erodes, exposing dentin.

It's the same sugar-loving bacteria that inflame the gums.

Or there were not so much sweet things in the first place and only at certain times of the year.

I never had pain putting sweet stuff in my mouth when I had cavities.

I think that many toothpastes make our teeth less sensitive. I think it is supposed to reduce pain, but it can backfire...

Reply on news.ycombinator.com