Vikings faced severe diseases: what researchers have discovered.

Being a Viking did not solely involve raiding settlements and plundering. Researchers have discovered that ancient Scandinavian warriors suffered from various ailments, particularly from maxillofacial diseases. These conditions likely caused immense pain and suffering for the Vikings. The study was published in the journal BDJ Open, as reported by IFLScience.

Using computed tomography, scientists scanned 15 Viking skulls that date back to the 10th and 11th centuries AD. Dentists and pathologists examined these images to identify any facial diseases. The research revealed that the individuals behind these ancient skulls had extremely poor health and suffered from several serious illnesses.

Signs of a particularly painful oral pathology known as apical periodontitis were found in the overwhelming majority of the skulls, typically caused by a bacterial infection of the tooth canal. Researchers discovered that some Vikings even attempted dental treatment by creating an opening in the tooth to access the pulp (the connective tissue filling the tooth cavity that contains a large number of nerve endings). In simpler terms, they drilled into the tooth. The scientists noted that, given the lack of anesthetics at the time, this was an incredibly horrific and torturous process for dental care.

In three of the skulls, researchers found signs of chronic sinusitis, which likely led to nasal congestion, a sensation of facial swelling, nasal discharge, and loss of smell. In other skulls, scientists identified bony growths that were probably caused by infections in the ears and other areas. The growths along the jaw joints were interpreted by researchers as signs of rheumatoid arthritis in some Viking skulls.

According to the study's authors, these individuals may have suffered from numerous oral and facial pathologies, including sinusitis and otitis. Given the lack of proper medical care, the pain from all these conditions could have persisted with the Vikings throughout their lives, no matter how long they lasted.

Researchers state that incurable diseases caused relentless suffering for the Vikings and could escalate from mere discomfort to extremely severe illnesses with devastating consequences. It is possible that these diseases led to death.