Dental Occlusion in a Split Amazon Indigenous Population: Genetics Prevails over Environment

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open access
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Article
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2011
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Dennis O’Rourke, University of Utah
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Abstract
Studies examining human and nonhuman primates have supported the hypothesis that the recent increase in the occurrence of misalignment of teeth and/or incorrect relation of dental arches, named dental malocclusion, is mainly attributed to the availability of a more processed diet and the reduced need for powerful masticatory action. For the first time on live human populations, genetic and tooth wear influences on occlusal variation were examined in a split indigenous population. The Arara-Iriri people are descendants of a single couple expelled from a larger village. In the resultant village, expansion occurred through the mating of close relatives, resulting in marked genetic cohesion with substantial genetic differences. Methodology/Principal Findings Dental malocclusion, tooth wear and inbreeding coefficient were evaluated. The sample examined was composed of 176 individuals from both villages. Prevalence Ratio and descriptive differences in the outcomes frequency for each developmental stage of the dentition were considered. Statistical differences between the villages were examined using the chi-square test or Fisher's exact statistic. Tooth wear and the inbreeding coefficient (F) between the villages was tested with Mann-Whitney statistics. All the statistics were performed using two-tailed distribution at p≤0.05. The coefficient inbreeding (F) confirmed the frequent incestuous unions among the Arara-Iriri indigenous group. Despite the tooth wear similarities, we found a striking difference in occlusal patterns between the two Arara villages. In the original village, dental malocclusion was present in about one third of the population; whilst in the resultant village, the occurrence was almost doubled. Furthermore, the morphological characteristics of malocclusion were strongly different between the groups. Conclusions/Significance Our findings downplay the widespread influence of tooth wear, a direct evidence of what an individual ate in the past, on occlusal variation of living human populations. They also suggest that genetics plays the most important role on dental malocclusion etiology.
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Keywords in Portuguese
Região Amazônica, Amazonas, Arará, Rio Xingú, Testes Estatísticos, Dieta Alimentar, Alimentação e Nutrição
Keywords
Brazil, Health of Indigenous Peoples, Indians, South American, Malocclusion, Inbreeding, Dental Occlusion, Diet, Food, and Nutrition
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Keywords in French
DeCS
Brasil, Saúde de Populações Indígenas, Índios Sul-Americanos, Genética Humana, Dentição, Oclusão Dentária, Endogamia, Alimentos, Dieta e Nutrição
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NORMANDO, David; FABER, Jorge; GUERREIRO, João Farias; QUINTÃO, Cátia Cardoso Abdo. Dental Occlusion in a Split Amazon Indigenous Population: Genetics Prevails over Environment. PLoS ONE, v. 6, n. 12, p. e28387, 2011
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1932-6203
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0028387
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