Many of us have had a tooth extracted in the dentist's chair, either under local or general anesthesia, and even with modern medicine, tooth extraction is not a pleasant experience. So spare a thought for the people who have voluntarily knocked or extracted their good, healthy front teeth for thousands of years—a practice that lasted from 4800 B.C. to the early 20th century. And all this will definitely surprise you: mainly for aesthetic reasons.
Fossils unearthed from 40 sites in modern-day Taiwan shed light on tooth-grinding rituals on the island, with well-preserved male and female skulls showing consistent patterns of missing teeth. Researchers from the Australian National University's Department of Archeology and Natural History and the University of Guam used their findings, along with historical records, to reveal a more complete story of why and how people performed this ritual for nearly five thousand years.
"The first and most frequently mentioned motivation is cosmetic, as people wish to distinguish themselves from animal facial features and enhance personal attractiveness, especially to the opposite sex. Interesting testimonies highlight the pursuit of crimson tongues peeking out from between bright teeth," the researchers note in their paper.
Across the island, different communities appear to have different patterns of tooth extraction, but the practice generally involves the removal of a few upper front teeth, most commonly the incisors (I) and/or canines (C).
"Because of the high symmetry and regularity of tooth extractions in individuals with good oral health, the results are interpreted to be intentional extractions rather than alveolar bone pathology or traumatic accidents," the researchers noted.
The research team, led by archaeologist Yue Zhang, was able to separate the findings into four different cultural motivations behind this painful process. As mentioned above, the most common reasons among various groups are aesthetics - to distinguish humans from animals such as dogs, monkeys and pigs, and because normal teeth are considered unsightly. Interestingly, they also admired the way the mice's teeth were arranged.
Second, a study of four people suggests that tooth extraction is done for practical reasons, to allow for more standard pronunciation when speaking and to reduce the possibility of "hyperdontia."
The third reason, the team found, was to commemorate what the researchers called a "test of courage" and to visibly demonstrate "bravery" to younger members of society.
The authors add: "Locals believe that knocking out teeth can relieve pain from tattoos or ease speech difficulties. In many cases, the visible results are seen as proof of bravery."
Finally, this ritual serves as a signal that younger members of the tribe have reached adulthood, or to differentiate among people in society.
The researchers added: "Patterns on teeth may alter interpersonal expression and communication, potentially indicating that a person has acquired new attributes of self-identity or group membership. The practice could therefore be understood as part of a group's defined cultural identity."
How were the teeth removed? As expected, very brutal. The North uses the hitting method, while the South prefers the string-assisted pulling method.
"The five ethnic groups living in northern Taiwan (Atayal, Saisiyat, Seediq, Thao and Turugu) usually place one end of the intermediary on the tooth surface and tap the other end with a percussion instrument to facilitate tooth extraction," the researchers describe. "The materials used as mediators and knockers vary, being metal, stone or wood."
"Four southern groups (Bunun, Shah'arua, Kanakanafu, and Tsou) use one (or two) wooden or bamboo sticks with a string tied to one or both ends. The procedure associated with the South involves tying the teeth tightly with the string and then banging the stick with the string attached until the tooth falls out."
They then filled the cavity with plant ash, such as the sedge Miscanthus floridulus, which stopped bleeding and prevented inflammation. Historically, most tooth extraction "rituals" were also performed in the winter to minimize the risk of infection. The extracted teeth were buried in front of millet barns, under beds and on thatched roofs.
This research fills many gaps in our understanding of this long tradition in Taiwan, which began in the Neolithic Age around 4800 BC and continued into the Iron Age, but gradually disappeared by the early 20th century. As customs changed, so did gender, with the last known tooth extractions being performed primarily on women.
The researchers added: "In the 1910s, armed repression by ruling entities to conquer the indigenous peoples led to the disappearance of local traditional practices, including tooth extraction. This ancient ritual appears to have become popular in Taiwan at the same time as pottery making and crop farming, suggesting that it may have originated from A custom introduced by immigrants from southern China. Overall, coastal South China is a strong source of pottery traditions, rice and millet cultivation, and other diagnostic markers for early Neolithic groups who migrated to Taiwan. So far, the most plausible origin seems to be from the middle reaches of the Yangtze River to the Guangdong-Fujian coast."
The research was published in the journal Asian Archaeological Research.