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Updated: May 11, 2026
Sampling and Pretreatment of Tooth Enamel Carbonate for Stable Carbon and Oxygen Isotope Analysis
Published on: August 15, 2018
Investigating the relationship between periods of vitamin D deficiency and sequential dentine carbon and nitrogen
Jacob I Griffith1, Olivia C Cashmere2, Jason E Laffoon3
1Archaeology, Environmental Changes & Geo-Chemistry Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
Objectives:
To investigate whether the presence of interglobular dentine (IGD), reflecting periods of suboptimal vitamin D levels, affects serial carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope values in incremental dentine profiles.
Material:
Nine individuals, represented by eight 1st molars and one canine from Hattem, Beemster (Netherlands), and Koekelberg (Belgium) cemeteries (17th-19th cent. CE). Eight teeth had IGD previously identified via microscopy, and one displayed no IGD.
Methods:
The two common sequential dentine methodologies, micro-slicing and micro-punching, were applied to measure serial δ13C and δ15N variation within each tooth.
Results:
Incremental δ13C ranged from -21.4‰ to -18.8‰, and δ15N from 9.3‰ to 18.2‰. Comparisons between increments with and without IGD revealed minimal isotopic differences, with IGD increments showing slight δ13C (0.1‰) and δ15N (0.2‰) depletion.
Conclusions:
IGD, and accordingly vitamin D deficiency, had a minimal effect on δ13C and δ15N values from human dentine and did not affect the incremental sampling conclusions on diet and weaning.
Significance:
This pilot study suggests that there seems to be no clear link between periods of vitamin D deficiency and serial δ13C and δ15N variations.
Limitations:
The limited sequential δ13C and δ15N analysis of more 'control' individuals with no detected IGD from the three cemeteries, due to the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency at the time.
Suggestions For Further Research:
Continued sequential analysis of populations with IGD, from different periods and/or geographic locations, to confirm the findings of this case report.
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