Neanderthals 59,000 Years Ago May Have Used Stone Tools to Scrape and Treat Cavities

A 59,000-year-old Neanderthal molar from Chagyrskaya Cave in Siberia shows holes and grooves consistent with caries being scraped with stone tools.

Researchers say the marks may represent deliberate dental treatment, making it one of the earliest possible examples of pain relief or infection control.

Reproduction experiments also produced similar traces, strengthening the case that the damage was made intentionally rather than by chance.

The finding, reported in PLOS One, suggests advanced practical care may have existed before modern humans.