Secrets of Richard III’s death and life revealed
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- Published: Friday, 24 May 2013 16:34
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A general dental practitioner from London has revealed that the skull and jaw of King Richard III, found in a Leicester car park last year, were badly damaged, lending support to reports that the blows thatkilled him were so heavy that it drove the king’s crown into his head.
Dr Amit Rai, writing in the peer-reviewed British Dental Journal, said: “Richard is likely to have been killed by one of two blows to the base of the skull from some of the most advanced military weapons of the time.”
The reasearch also concluded that Richard III may have been as anxious and fearful as William Shakespeare portrayed him – he ground his teeth with stress. Researchers also found that the king had suffered severe tooth decay, perhaps as a result of his privileged position and a sweet tooth.
Dr Rai continued: “Several accounts of Richard III reveal that he rode into battle wearing his crown which, despite this making him an easy target, is consistent with the location of the battlefield injuries he sustained on his skull.”
Dr Rai said the monarch’s teeth and jaw showed signs of rudimentary signs of medieval dentistry while some of the teeth showed signs of decay from a diet rich in carbohydrates and sugar.
Surface loss on a number of back teeth and upper right teeth suggest he also suffered from stress-related bruxism, or teeth grinding. Whether this was because he was wracked with guilt over the fate of the Princes in the Tower, who he is accused of murdering to assume the throne, may never be clear.
Dr Rai also found evidence that Richard III had undergone dental surgery and had two teeth removed at the hands of barber surgeons. Tartar was also found on the teeth in the King’s upper jaw. Dr Rai added: “Analysis of this tartar will enable the identification of the strains and diversity of bacteria which once inhabited Richard’s mouth and provide a better insight into his diet and oral hygiene habits.”
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