| > Was everyone's teeth just completely screwed, all the time? Well, often, yes. See, for example, the history of pre-modern dentures, which were common for people in only their 30s and 40s (George Washington's teeth all fell out before he even reached 30!). > How could evolution work that way? Two reasons: First, if you've had children, you're surplus material. Most people throughout history who have had children have done so by the age of 30 or 40, and so after that, their teeth just don't matter, evolution-wise. Second, humans evolved in an environment with very limited access to sugar and acidic foods. Sugar and acidic foods are the main cause of cavities, and have been common since the invention of civilization and extremely common since the advent of mass industrialization. > Still have it six years later, and it's fine. It's probably not fine. It's entirely possible to have teeth that are apparently pain-free right up until they literally snap in half from deep cavities. |