Scientists Extract Six Forensic Clues From a Single Tooth to Help Identify Human Remains

Researchers at the Institute of Science Tokyo have demonstrated that a single human tooth can reveal six types of forensic information, potentially improving the identification of unidentified human remains in criminal investigations and mass disasters.

The findings, announced on October 28, 2026, come from a study published in Scientific Reports on August 19. Researchers examined teeth from 15 deceased individuals, including cases involving severely decomposed and skeletonized remains.

By applying multiple analytical techniques to different dental tissues, the team investigated birth year, age at death, dietary patterns and potential geographic origin, drug exposure, biological sex, and DNA profiles.

To estimate birth year, researchers used radiocarbon analysis of tooth enamel. The estimated birth-year ranges included the actual birth year in 14 of the 15 cases.

Toxicological examination detected drugs or other substances in all 15 samples, although not every substance identified through conventional testing was recovered from dental tissue.

DNA analysis provided another important result. Researchers successfully determined biological sex in all 15 cases, while 12 samples yielded sufficient autosomal short tandem repeat profiles for individual identification.

Teeth are particularly valuable in forensic investigations because their mineralized structures can withstand environmental exposure and decomposition better than many other biological tissues.

The research could support disaster victim identification, forensic anthropology and investigations involving unidentified skeletal remains, particularly when other biological samples are unavailable.

However, the study involved only 15 individuals. Researchers emphasized the need to improve analytical accuracy, reproducibility and standardization before the approach can become part of routine forensic practice.