A new study has found that the glue used by ancient Mayans to stick gemstones to their teeth could have prevented tooth decay and infections.
The ancient Mayans – who lived 200–900 AD – used to decorate their teeth with gemstones as they believed their breath had a connection to the divine.
As a result, they used to file, polish and decorate their teeth to purify their breath. This usually happened as a rite to adulthood.
The Maya dentists drilled holes into their teeth and inserted the coloured stones, such as jade, turquoise, and pyrite, to the front of their teeth. They then applied a glue sealant.
However, a recent analysis, published by Science Magazine has found that the sealant glue used to stick the gemstones to their teeth had properties that prevented infections and tooth decay.
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Organic molecules
The properties found in the glue sealant makes it ‘remarkably durable’. It has allowed the majority of the gemstones to remain intact in the teeth for over 1,000 years.
Richard Kemeney of Science Magazine said: ‘The nature of the binding agent has long been a mystery.’
But the new study into the glue sealant found 150 organic molecules, many commonly found in plant resins.
Gloria Hernández Bolio, a biochemist from the centre for research and advanced studies of the National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico City, was a researcher for the study.
She said: ‘Each ingredient has a specific task. Most important for them was the binding properties.’
Gloria also said that the ingredients must have been well thought out, and that the ingredients were intended to safely bind the gemstones to the teeth.
For example, pine sap was one of the discovered ingredients. Research suggests that ingredients found in pine trees can fight dental bacteria and prevent tooth decay.
Sclareolide was also found on the teeth. This chemical compound found in Salvia plants has antibacterial properties.
As well as this, some sealants contained oils from mint plants which research shows could have anti-inflammatory properties.
Vera Tiesler, a bioarchaeologist at the Autonomous University of Yucatán, stated that oral health was important to the ancient Maya.
For example, Maya king, Janaab’ Pakal, died at 80 years old with nearly a full set of teeth and no tooth decay.
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