The ancient Maya adorned their teeth with amber and precious stones.. According to Science alert, many of this civilization, rich and poor, visited the dentist as a youth to drill their teeth and fill in the gaps with valuable jewelry..

Such inlays were preserved throughout life and had a ritual meaning.. But it is also likely that they were not purely aesthetic decoration.. A new study on the cement used to fix the stones suggests it may have had hygienic and therapeutic properties..

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This cement was not only very sticky, holding the stone in place, but some of its ingredients could fight cavities and reduce inflammation and infections in the mouth.. The mixture was rich in organic compounds, leading scientists to speculate that this cement was used for more than just a water-repellent adhesive..

Attaching small stones to incisors at a young age could protect teeth from caries. The drilling done to attach the stones was so skillful that it rarely penetrated the pulp of the nerves and blood vessels of the tooth..

During the study, scientists analyzed teeth found at three archaeological sites in Guatemala, Belize and Honduras.. The people they belonged to were not part of the Mayan elite..

In cement used to attach stones, scientists have identified 150 organic molecules commonly found in plant resins.. The composition of the mixture varied slightly in different regions of the Yucatan Peninsula, but the main ingredients were the same..

Pine tar-related compounds have been found in most dental cements and are thought to have antibacterial properties.. Two of the eight teeth contained remnants of sclareolide, a plant compound with antibacterial and antifungal properties.. It is also often used in the perfume industry as it smells very nice..

Peppermint essential oils were also frequently found in the cement, suggesting their potential anti-inflammatory effects..

Scientists note that the findings of their study are not completely unexpected.. There is plenty of evidence that the ancient Maya took oral hygiene seriously.. Representatives of this civilization often polished their teeth and removed them if signs of caries appeared..

More therapeutic approaches to dentistry have gone unnoticed due to brightly colored teeth.. The edges of Maya teeth were often sharpened and then decorated with precious stones, which was associated with aesthetic and ritual purposes..

Dentistry was clearly an art form, but new evidence suggests that tooth modifications may have been related to more than just beauty..

Many people were treated, which indicates that such modifications did not reflect the social status of the person..

Earlier, scientists from the University of Cincinnati found out why the inhabitants left the ancient Mayan city of Tikal. According to them, the location of the city was not very good in terms of water supply, so its inhabitants relied only on rainwater..