The grooves were intentionally and skillfully done and appeared on the two upper front teeth. The exact purpose of these grooves is unknown, but it is believed to have been decorative, a symbol of one's status as a warrior or meant to intimidate and frighten.
Multiple cavities pit the teeth excavated from a Viking settlement found in modern-day Sweden. Anyone who survived to adulthood in the Viking Age probably had terrible teeth.
According to a Swedish anthropologist, a number of Viking skeletons have been discovered with unusual grooves on their front teeth. These grooves were created deliberately by the Vikings to fill with red pigment, designed to frighten people in battle.
Evidence suggests that Viking fighters used to file their teeth to create a scary appearance for their enemies. The discovery comes from the remains of a Viking in Dorset, England. Since there were no anesthetics at that time, the procedure of sharpening the teeth was most likely extremely painful.
"They did it on purpose, to mark that they belonged to a special group. Or maybe they were slaves. This is a very unique and interesting find." One hypothesis is that they could show an individual's ability to resist pain.
The fact that Vikings and people in the medieval ages didn't have condoms may not have had as much of an impact on the prevalence of these diseases as some would think.
According to the Viking belief system, the makeup would protect them from bad luck. They would paint their faces during rituals, using ash or blood to create a dark blue hue that was not permanent. There are stories suggesting that Vikings even had runes painted on their faces before going into battle.
Denmark: In the top spot, with an impressive DMFT Score of 0.4 At the very pinnacle of the list have Denmark. The data indicates Denmark has the best oral health of all the countries in the entire world.
The chances are Vikings were a lot leaner than many people today, thanks to their protein-rich diet, and their commitment to hard labor. However, it's likely that the comparative 'largeness' of Vikings was down to their muscular bodies and strength, rather than simply being “fat”.
Vikings were known for their excellent hygiene.
Excavations of Viking sites have turned up tweezers, razors, combs and ear cleaners made from animal bones and antlers. Vikings also bathed at least once a week—much more frequently than other Europeans of their day—and enjoyed dips in natural hot springs.
Though many Vikings grew their own crops, they had limited access to vegetation. This meant they often hunted for animals to survive, and looked after livestock. The result was access to a huge amount of protein and fat, excellent for building muscle.
According to scholars, Vikings commonly washed their hair and beards using a soap containing lye. This soap served two purposes. It helped to keep Vikings clean and wash away the dirt, blood, and other messes which built up during escapades. However, it also helped to dye the hair a brighter shade of blonde.
Excavated Viking skeletons that date from AD 800 – 1050 showed deep, horizontal grooves filed into the front teeth. It is speculated tooth carvings were pigmented red in order to intimidate foes in battle. The reasons for the tooth filing is not certain, but may have been a symbol of achievement.
The Vikings needed all the energy that they could get in the form of fat – especially in winter. Meat, fish, vegetables, cereals and milk products were all an important part of their diet. Sweet food was consumed in the form of berries, fruit and honey. In England the Vikings were often described as gluttonous.
That wasn't the only surprise for the researchers: their analysis also revealed that the people of Pompeii had nearly "perfect teeth," ANSA reports. A low-sugar diet, rich in fruit and vegetables — along with fluorine that was present in a local water source— gave them their pearly whites.
Daily Dental Practices
Historical records and archaeological finds suggest that the Vikings used rudimentary toothpicks made of bone or wood to clean their teeth.
The average height of Vikings as found by researchers and scholars, varied depending on a number of factors, including their age and gender. Typically, the average male Viking would usually be between 5 foot 7 and 5 foot 9, while the average female would be between 5 foot 1 and 5 foot 3.
The faces of men and women in the Viking Age were more alike than they are today. The women's faces were more masculine than women's today, with prominent brow ridges. On the other hand, the Viking man's appearance was more feminine than that of men today, with a less prominent jaw and brow ridges.
And experts say surnames can give you an indication of a possible Viking heritage in your family, with anything ending in 'son' or 'sen' likely to be a sign. Other surnames which could signal a Viking family history include 'Roger/s' and 'Rogerson' and 'Rendall'.
Teeth Around the World: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly
With a DMFT (decayed, missing, or filled teeth) index score of 0.4, Danish citizens have pretty perfect teeth. Germany, Finland, Sweden, and the UK all have scores below 1.0, making them the five countries with the healthiest teeth.
Tooth size has been shown to have a strong association with both sex and ethnicity. Males have consistently larger teeth than females, whereas people of African descent have larger mesiodistal tooth dimensions than those of European descent.
Supernumerary Teeth (Hyperdontia)
These teeth rarely erupt and usually develop inside the gums, which can cause all sorts of crowding and misalignment with other teeth. When a dentist spots one of these, they will usually recommend having it extracted.
It's believed that both male and female Vikings wore makeup. In particular, historical evidence suggests that they used kohl as eyeliner. There is also evidence that they would paint their faces in certain situations, although this may not necessarily be makeup as we would understand it today.
Who was a Viking? If we are speaking ethnically, the closest people to a Viking in modern-day terms would be the Danish, Norwegians, Swedish, and Icelandic people. Interestingly though, it was common for their male Viking ancestors to intermarry with other nationalities, and so there is a lot of mixed heritage.
Ivar the boneless, has blue eyes because he's suffering from 'brittle bone disease' named "Osteogenesis imperfecta" which is characterised by a triad of blue sclera (white portion of the eye), fragile bones and conductive hearing loss.