Changes in dental wear magnitude in the last approximately 8000 years in southwestern Iberia.

OBJECTIVE: This study examines changes in dental wear magnitude in the past approximately 8000 years, i.e., since Mesolithic until the 19th century, in southwestern Iberia. Thus, it encompasses the transition from hunting-gathering to agro-pastoralism, and then to the industrialization of food production and pre-processing. DESIGN: Dental wear magnitude was scored in a total of 191 individuals and 1557 teeth from Mesolithic (individuals=56; teeth=643), Neolithic (individuals=35; teeth=169), Chalcolithic (individuals =35; teeth=221), Modern Age (individuals=17; teeth=209), and Late Modern Age (individuals=48; teeth=315) samples originating in southwestern Iberia (i.e., present central and southern Portugal) and according to the 8 levels ordinal scale of Smith (1984). RESULTS: Results show a general trend for decreased wear magnitude in these two major transitions and during this timespan (although the hunting-gathering - agro-pastoralism transition had larger impact). The only meaningful differences in wear rate were found between the Late Modern Age and all remaining samples. CONCLUSION: Dental wear generally decreased during this timespan (although wear magnitude was less impacted by the industrialization of food production and pre-processing). Our results are consistent with studies documenting skull morphological gracilization associated with reduced masticatory demands due to the adoption of softer diets.