Dental problems were universal and severe. The first problem was their diet, The second problem was that they had never seen a dentist. As for diet, the steady intake of foods with adhering sand caused rapid abrasion of tooth surfaces. The second problem was a fondness for crab and the cracking of crab shell with their teeth. The people of Maisabel certainly had chipped teeth.
Chipped teeth wear more rapidly than unchipped teeth.
Plaque is ubiquitous. Other high-carbohydrate foods included sweet potatoes and some fruits. Sugar cane was not the source of the extensive caries as it was not introduced until the sixteenth century. Calculus lead to periodontal disease which produces decay at the necks of the teeth. Almost all of the cavities at Maisabel are of this type.