Christopher S. Nelson 
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO—According to a Scientific journal report, the sealants used by the ancient Maya to fix gemstones to their teeth may have anti-infective properties. During the Classic Period (200-900 AD), many Maya in the lowlands of present-day Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico attached stones such as jade, turquoise, and pyrite to their teeth, usually as part of of rites of passage. Dentists would drill holes in people’s teeth and then set the stones in place with a sealant. In a new analysis of the chemical content of sealants, a team led by Gloria Hernández Bolio, a biochemist at the Center for Research and Advanced Studies at the National Polytechnic Institute of Mexico, studied eight teeth found in the empire Maya. They determined that the contents of the sealants varied by location, suggesting that local practitioners had their own recipes, but that most samples included ingredients from pine trees, which have been shown to fight the bacteria responsible. dental caries. Additionally, two teeth appear to contain sclareolide, a compound found in Salvia plants that has antibacterial and antifungal properties. And samples from the Copán region, near the Honduras-Guatemala border, include mint plant essential oils whose components may have anti-inflammatory effects. Hernández Bolio notes that the most important factor in the creation of sealants was their binding properties, but today’s Mayans use the plants for medicinal purposes, so the ancients may have been aware of their effects. beneficial. For more on Mayan clothing, jewelry, and body modification, check out “Head to Toe in the Ancient Maya World.”
