Editing Paranthropus (section)

===Pathology===
''Paranthropus'' seems to have had notably high rates of [[pitting enamel hypoplasia]] (PEH), where [[tooth enamel]] formation is spotty instead of mostly uniform. In ''P. robustus'', about 47% of [[baby teeth]] and 14% of adult teeth were affected, in comparison to about 6.7% and 4.3%, respectively, in any other tested hominin species. The condition of these holes covering the entire tooth is consistent with the modern human ailment [[amelogenesis imperfecta]]. However, since circular holes in enamel coverage are uniform in size, only present on the [[molar teeth]], and have the same severity across individuals, the PEH may have been a genetic condition. It is possible that the [[coding region|coding-DNA]] concerned with thickening enamel also left them more vulnerable to PEH.<ref>{{cite journal|first1=I.|last1=Towle|first2=J. D.|last2=Irish|year=2019|title=A probable genetic origin for pitting enamel hypoplasia on the molars of ''Paranthropus robustus''|journal=Journal of Human Evolution|volume=129|pages=54–61|doi=10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.01.002|pmid=30904040|bibcode=2019JHumE.129...54T |s2cid=85502058|url=http://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/10289/1/Towle_Irish_JHE%202019.pdf}}</ref>

There have been 10 identified cases of [[tooth decay|cavities]] in ''P. robustus'', indicating a rate similar to modern humans. A molar from [[Drimolen]], South Africa, showed a cavity on the [[tooth root]], a rare occurrence in fossil [[great ape]]s. In order for cavity-creating bacteria to reach this area, the individual would have had to have also presented either [[alveolar process#Alveolar bone loss|alveolar resportion]], which is commonly associated with [[gum disease]]; or super-eruption of teeth which occurs when teeth become worn down and have to erupt a bit more in order to maintain a proper bite, and this exposed the root. The latter is most likely, and the exposed root seems to have caused [[hypercementosis]] to anchor the tooth in place. The cavity seems to have been healing, which may have been caused by a change in diet or [[oral microbiology|mouth microbiome]], or the loss of the adjacent molar.<ref name=Towle2019>{{cite journal|first1=I.|last1=Towle|first2=A.|last2=Riga|first3=J. D.|last3=Irish|display-authors=et al.|year=2019|title=Root caries on a ''Paranthropus robustus'' third molar from Drimolen|journal=American Journal of Physical Anthropology|volume=170|issue=2|pages=319–323|doi=10.1002/ajpa.23891|pmid=31265762|s2cid=195786562|url=https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2019/04/11/573964.full.pdf}}</ref>