The chemical composition of dental tissues has relevance for research in paleobiology, archaeology, forensics, dentistry, and child health. Recently, a range of studies have used analyses of the chemical composition of these tissues to reconstruct individual life histories and environment with a range of analytic and theoretical approaches. These studies provide insights into diet, climate, seasonal and lifetime mobility, social differentiation, changing subsistence patterns, and exposure to toxic elements. The isotopic composition of teeth can also be used for age determination of archaeological materials and to estimate the year of birth of individuals born since the 1950s. Examples of these types of research are presented.