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Tooth shows cavemen conducted dental surgery thousands of years before anesthetic

Nypost · · 767 words · By SWNS
open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/13/science/tooth-shows-cavemen-conducted-dental-surge…

fact_checkFact-Check Results

13 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

check_circle Corroborated 7
schedule Pending 3
info Single Source 2
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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“Neanderthal dentists were using stone drills to treat cavities nearly 60,000 years ago”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web sources (The Guardian, National Geographic, and others) report that Neanderthals used stone drills to treat cavities approximately 59,000-60,000 years ago.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Interbreeding between archaic humans (such as Neanderthals and Denisovans) and anatomically modern humans (contemporaneous Homo sapiens) took place during the Middle Paleolithic and early Upper Paleol…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbreeding_between_archaic_…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Neanderthals ( nee-AN-də(r)-TAHL, nay-, -⁠THAHL; Homo neanderthalensis or sometimes Homo sapiens neanderthalensis) are an extinct group of archaic humans who inhabited Europe and Western and Central A…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neanderthal
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Neanderthals became extinct around 40,000 years ago. Hypotheses on the causes of the extinction include violence, transmission of diseases from modern humans to which Neanderthals had no immunity, com…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neanderthal_extinction
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“Their findings, published in the journal PLOS One”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources explicitly state that the research was published in the journal PLOS One.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Interbreeding between archaic humans (such as Neanderthals and Denisovans) and anatomically modern humans (contemporaneous Homo sapiens) took place during the Middle Paleolithic and early Upper Paleol…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbreeding_between_archaic_…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — For much of the early 20th century, Neanderthal behaviour was depicted as primitive, unintelligent, and brutish; unevolved compared to their modern human contemporaries, the Cro-Magnons. Although know…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neanderthal_behavior
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Neanderthals became extinct around 40,000 years ago. Hypotheses on the causes of the extinction include violence, transmission of diseases from modern humans to which Neanderthals had no immunity, com…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neanderthal_extinction
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“Neanderthals used toothpicks to remove food from their teeth”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources report evidence of Neanderthals using toothpick-like implements for dental hygiene, citing finds in Poland and other locations.
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web search NEUTRAL — The dental measurements of the upper premolar and radiocarbon dating of the area all suggest it once belonged to a male Neanderthal in his 30s who was cleaning his teeth in this manner as far back as …
https://www.sciencealert.com/evidence-shows-neanderthals-too…
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web search NEUTRAL — A Neanderthal premolar and wisdom tooth discovered in southern Poland's Stajnia Cave show signs their owners repeatedly used a toothpick-like implement, perhaps a bone or twig.
https://www.dailymail.com/sciencetech/article-9390503/Neande…
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web search NEUTRAL — It is the oldest documented case of palliative treatment of dental disease done with this tool.Removing food scraps trapped between the teeth one of the most common functions of using toothpicks, thus…
https://phys.org/news/2013-10-neanderthals-toothpicks-allevi…
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“A single molar found in Chagyrskaya Cave, Siberia, is around 59,000 years old”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm a molar from Chagyrskaya Cave in Siberia is dated to approximately 59,000 years ago.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Denisovans or Denisova hominins ( də-NIS-ə-və(nz)) are an extinct species or subspecies of archaic human that ranged across Asia during the Middle to Late Pleistocene, approximately 200,000–32,000…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denisovan
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ancient DNA (aDNA) is genetic material extracted from ancient sources, recovered from bones, teeth, or other biological remains. Unlike DNA recovered from living organisms, aDNA is often highly degrad…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_history_of_Pleistocene…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Okladnikov Cave (Russian: пещера Окладникова) is a paleoanthropological site located in the foothills of the Altai Mountains in Soloneshensky District, Altai Krai in southern Siberia, Russia. The cave…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okladnikov_Cave
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“there is a deep hole in the centre of the tooth, extending into the pulp cavity”
CORROBORATED
The Guardian and other reports specifically describe a deep hole in the center of the tooth extending into the pulp cavity.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This article records new taxa of fossil mammals of every kind that are scheduled to be described during the year 2026, as well as other significant discoveries and events related to paleontology of ma…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_in_paleomammalogy
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Denisovans or Denisova hominins ( də-NIS-ə-və(nz)) are an extinct species or subspecies of archaic human that ranged across Asia during the Middle to Late Pleistocene, approximately 200,000–32,000…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denisovan
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Okladnikov Cave (Russian: пещера Окладникова) is a paleoanthropological site located in the foothills of the Altai Mountains in Soloneshensky District, Altai Krai in southern Siberia, Russia. The cave…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okladnikov_Cave
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“there are also toothpick grooves along the side of the tooth”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the drilling is corroborated, the specific mention of 'toothpick grooves' on this specific Chagyrskaya molar is not explicitly confirmed across multiple independent sources in the provided evidence; other sources discuss toothpicks in different contexts (e.g., Poland).
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This article records new taxa of fossil mammals of every kind that are scheduled to be described during the year 2026, as well as other significant discoveries and events related to paleontology of ma…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_in_paleomammalogy
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Denisovans or Denisova hominins ( də-NIS-ə-və(nz)) are an extinct species or subspecies of archaic human that ranged across Asia during the Middle to Late Pleistocene, approximately 200,000–32,000…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denisovan
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Okladnikov Cave (Russian: пещера Окладникова) is a paleoanthropological site located in the foothills of the Altai Mountains in Soloneshensky District, Altai Krai in southern Siberia, Russia. The cave…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okladnikov_Cave
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“This is the first time such behaviour has been demonstrated outside of Homo sapiens”
CORROBORATED
The Guardian and other reports state this is the first time dental drilling has been demonstrated outside of Homo sapiens.
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web search NEUTRAL — This is the first time dental drilling has been demonstrated outside of Homo sapiens, and it is the oldest example of such behaviour by more than 40,000 years.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/13/neanderthals…
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web search NEUTRAL — Quora is a place to gain and share knowledge. It's a platform to ask questions and connect with people who contribute unique insights and quality answers. This empowers people to learn from each other…
https://www.quora.com/
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web search NEUTRAL — Dental drilling removes decay to save teeth, but it comes with risks. Learn how it works, what to expect, and whether laser dentistry might suit you better.
https://scienceinsights.org/what-is-dental-drilling-procedur…
info
“Dr Zubova, senior researcher at Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, St. Petersburg”
SINGLE SOURCE
The name Dr. Zubova is associated with the research in the Reuters snippet, but the specific title and museum affiliation are not independently corroborated by the other provided search results.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Restore mobility and relieve pain with expert rheumatologic care at Cohen Medical Centers. We diagnose and treat a wide range of autoimmune, musculoskeletal, and inflammatory conditions, including rhe…
https://www.cohencenters.com/
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web search NEUTRAL — Thousand Oaks primary care, chiropractor, physical therapy, integrative medicine, and physical medicine - all under one roof. PPO & Medicare accepted. Book your appointment today.
https://www.summithealth360.com/
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web search NEUTRAL — Discover top Cardiologists in Thousand Oaks, CA - View 96 providers with an average of 35 years experience and 849 reviews.
https://doctor.webmd.com/providers/specialty/cardiovascular-…
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“the damage documented on the Neanderthal tooth from Chagyrskaya Cave in Siberia points not only to intentional pulp removal but also to antemortem wear”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided in the search results to specifically confirm the phrase 'antemortem wear' or the specific combination of pulp removal and wear for this tooth.
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“Computed microtomography revealed changes in dentin mineralization consistent with severe caries”
CORROBORATED
The Guardian explicitly mentions that microscopic X-ray imaging (computed microtomography) revealed changes in mineralization indicating severe tooth decay (caries).
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“Dr. Lydia Zotkina, from the Russian Academy of Sciences”
PENDING
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“Neanderthals arrived in the region 60,000 to 70,000 years ago during a migration from Central and Eastern Europe and inhabited it until at least 40,000 years ago”
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“the Neanderthals from Chagyrskaya Cave are very closely related to the bearers of the so-called Micoquian industry, who also lived in the Caucasus and Crimea”
PENDING
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.