In mammals, complex dental microwear textures (DMT) representing
differently sized and shaped enamel lesions overlaying each other have
traditionally been associated with the seeds and kernels in frugivorous diets,
as well as with sclerotized insect cuticles. Recently, this notion has been
challenged by field observations as well as in vitro experimental data. It
remains unclear to what extent each food item contributes to the complexity
level and is reflected by the surface texture of the respective tooth position
along the molar tooth row. To clarify the potential of seeds and other
abrasive dietary items to cause complex microwear textures, we conducted
a controlled feeding experiment with rats. Six individual rats each received
either a vegetable mix, a fruit mix, a seed mix, whole crickets, whole black
soldier fly larvae, or whole day-old-chicks. These diets were subjected to
material testing to obtain mechanical properties, such as Young’s modulus,
yield strength, and food hardness (as indicated by texture profile analysis [TPA]
tests). Seeds and crickets caused the highest surface complexity. The fruit mix,
seed mix, and crickets caused the deepest wear features. Moreover, several
diets resulted in an increasing wear gradient from the first to the second molar,
suggesting that increasing bite force along the tooth row affects dental wear
in rats on these diets. Mechanical properties of the diets showed different correlations with DMT obtained for the first and second molars. The first molar
wear was mostly correlated with maximum TPA hardness, while the second
molar wear was strongly correlated with maximum yield stress, mean TPA
hardness, and maximum TPA hardness. This indicates a complex relationship
between chewing mechanics, food mechanical properties, and observed
DMT. Our results show that, in rats, seeds are the main cause of complex
microwear textures but that hard insect body parts can also cause high
complexity. However, the similarity in parameter values of surface textures
resulting from seed and cricket consumption did not allow differentiation
between these two diets in our experimental approach.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:DRESDEN/oai:qucosa:de:qucosa:90425 |
| Date | 11 March 2024 |
| Creators | Winkler, Daniela E., Clauss, Marcus, Kubo, Mugino O., Schulz-Kornas, Ellen, Kaiser, Thomas M., Tschudin, Anja, De Cuyper, Annelies, Kubo, Tai, Tütken, Thomas |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| Source Sets | Hochschulschriftenserver (HSSS) der SLUB Dresden |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion, doc-type:article, info:eu-repo/semantics/article, doc-type:Text |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
| Relation | 2296-701X, 10.3389/fevo.2022.957427 |
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