Oral conditions often arise from a complex interplay of individual endogenous traits and external pathogenic influences. Research on oral health has proven instrumental in tracing the palaeodietary patterns, health statuses, and subsistence strategies of ancient populations (Cohen and Crane-Kramer, 2007, Meng et al., 2014). Specifically, the analysis of caries prevalence at the population level has served as a key indicator for tracking the adoption or intensification of agricultural practices, underscoring the critical role of fermentable carbohydrates in shaping dietary patterns (Morquecho-Izquier et al., 2023, Smith and Betsinger, 2019, Temple and Larsen, 2007). Moreover, such studies underscore the critical role of fermentable carbohydrates in the dietary patterns of populations, revealing deeper insights into their nutritional behaviors (Smith and Betsinger, 2019, Temple and Larsen, 2007).

Research on oral health usually involves examining the frequency of conditions between sexes, which can reveal notable differences. Two models have been proposed to explain these differences: the dietary–cultural model and the biological disparities model. The former suggests that variations stem from dietary practices, such as the higher frequency of caries in females, potentially due to males' preferential access to less cariogenic animal protein-rich foods (Klaus and Tam, 2010, Larsen et al., 1991). The latter is attributed to hormonal fluctuations that impact gum health and saliva production (Lukacs and Largaespada, 2006, Watson and Tuggle, 2019). These models offer valuable frameworks for understanding the underlying causes of disparities in conditions such as caries and periodontal disease.

The prevalence of oral conditions on the basis of the age at death has been utilized to assess their impact on the health of the general population and on longevity and frailty (DeWitte, 2012, Yaussy and DeWitte, 2019), revealing a connection between oral conditions and poor general health (Jansson et al., 2002). Oral conditions such as caries, dental calculus, periodontal disease, and tooth loss, which tend to be chronic, are known to increase in prevalence with age in contemporary clinical populations (Bernabé and Sheiham, 2014, Billings et al., 2018, Brading et al., 2009). However, trends observed in contemporary clinical populations are not always consistent across archaeological samples, leading to contradictory findings (Bonsall, 2014, Crubézy et al., 2021, Lieverse et al., 2007, Šlaus et al., 2011, Towle et al., 2023). The biases inherent in archaeological samples and their variable representativeness may explain these discrepancies. Despite these challenges, it remains possible that the presence of various oral conditions significantly influences the longevity of the populations studied (Brzobohatá et al., 2024).

Bioarchaeological studies have highlighted how oral health conditions offer crucial insights into the lives of island communities, their adaptation to island environments, and changes in subsistence time (Buckley et al., 2008, Buckley et al., 2010, Clark et al., 2020, Kinaston et al., 2016, Oxenham and Buckley, 2015, Pietrusewsky et al., 2016, Pietrusewsky et al., 2017, Pietrusewsky et al., 2020, Power et al., 2022, Stantis et al., 2016, Stodder et al., 2015). In the Canary Islands, the bioarcheological analysis of human remains from the Amazigh period revealed significant differences in subsistence strategies and nutritional status across islands such as El Hierro, La Palma, Gran Canaria, and Fuerteventura. These studies have employed analyses of stable isotopes, trace elements, and palaeohistology (Arnay-de-la-Rosa et al., 2010, González-Reimers et al., 1991, González-Reimers et al., 1991, González-Reimers et al., 2001, González-Reimers et al., 2002, Pascual et al., 2002, Pérez-González et al., 2001, Sánchez-Cañadillas, 2021, Sánchez-Cañadillas et al., 2023, Sánchez-Cañadillas et al., 2021, Velasco-Vázquez et al., 1997, Velasco-Vázquez et al., 1999).

Histological analyses have revealed a greater incidence of nonsenile osteopenia in Gran Canaria, which is often linked to the island’s agricultural dependence (Arnay-de-la-Rosa et al., 1994, González-Reimers et al., 2001, González-Reimers et al., 2002, Velasco-Vázquez et al., 1999). Preliminary research on oral conditions has focused primarily on Gran Canaria and El Hierro (Delgado-Darias et al., 2005, Delgado-Darias et al., 2006, Velasco-Vázquez et al., 2001). The results indicate greater agricultural life in Gran Canaria and greater reliance on marine resources in El Hierro, further highlighting the critical role of diet and environmental adaptation in shaping the health of these island populations.

Archaeological evidence suggests that the Amazigh cultures of the Canary Islands shared a common cultural and technological background, particularly reflected in the earliest archaeological sequences (Navarro-Mederos, 1997). However, by the time of European contact in the Middle Ages, these populations exhibited considerable diversity in terms of social organization, material culture, subsistence strategies, and demography (Mitchell, 2023, Morales et al., 2023, Navarro-Mederos, 1997). This diversity is believed to have resulted from a period of prolonged isolation, during which limited interisland navigation and distinct ecological conditions on each island fostered divergent historical trajectories (Navarro-Mederos, 1997).

This study seeks to investigate the relationships among island environments, subsistence strategies, and cultural patterns by examining oral health conditions as indicators of dietary practices among the Amazigh populations of the Canary Islands. Specifically, it aims to assess how variations in subsistence practices may have influenced oral health outcomes. We hypothesize that oral health conditions will exhibit minimal differences across island populations because of their shared reliance on agriculture. However, we anticipate that some variation may arise from differing degrees of reliance on marine and wild plant resources. A second hypothesis posits that differences in oral health conditions between males and females are observable and are likely attributable to dietary and physiological factors. A final hypothesis proposes that subtle differences in subsistence practices between islands could affect the expression of age-related outcomes in oral health. However, this expression could also be influenced by biases that affect the representativeness of the island samples studied.