Final answer:
Dental caries in the New World increased with the production and consumption of corn, a staple crop cultivated by Native Americans that led to dietary changes contributing to cavities.
Step-by-step explanation:
Dental caries, or cavities, in the New World, increased at the same time that populations were producing and consuming certain agricultural products. From historical and anthropological evidence, we can infer that the predominant crop linked to the rise in dental caries was corn (maize). Native Americans had cultivated corn for thousands of years, making it one of the region's staple crops long before European contact. Corn, along with other crops from the Americas such as potatoes, tomatoes, and cassava, had a significant impact when they were introduced to Europe, Africa, and Asia. However, it was the introduction of a grain-based diet, including corn, characterized by high sugars and starches that are known to contribute to dental decay, that is associated with the increase in dental caries. The human diet evolved over thousands of years and was not originally adapted to high-grain consumption, which began with agriculture. The diet of hunter-gatherers was diverse and had less concentration of fermentable carbohydrates, such as those found in corn and other grains. With the agricultural revolution came increased consumption of grains and other carbohydrates which the human body, as well as oral bacteria, had not fully adapted to. This dietary shift is a significant contributing factor to the prevalence of dental caries post-agriculture.