Eating Disorders And Your Teeth
Threats to oral health caused by anorexia and bulimia.
Tragically, it seems that if anything, the number of cases of eating disorders is on the rise. Whether this is caused by peer pressure, possibly exaggerated by the use of social media, or has other societal causes, is not something we can fully explain here at your local Burton dentists.
However, what we can discuss in our blog, relating to these diseases, is the effect that these two eating disorders can have upon the oral health of the person suffering from it.
Anorexia
Although aspects of this eating disorder can vary, generally anorexics eat very little, in part due to perceived poor body image. Although the rest of us may see sufferers as extremely thin, the illness causes a belief that they are simply not thin enough, and accordingly, they continually reduce their food intake. As far as dental problems go, the main issue for anorexics is that they simply do not eat enough to have a sufficient intake of the proteins, vitamins and minerals that are essential building blocks to having healthy teeth and gums.
As well as poor development of the teeth in younger anorexics, their general poor health often causes them to have other problems such as cold sores and lesions in the mouth which increase the risk of infections.
Bulimics
Whilst bulimics also have some of the same symptoms as anorexics, they do tend to eat regular or even larger meals than normal. These meals, often consumed by binge eating, are very often followed by vomiting. This poses additional oral health problems in that, not only do bulimics fail to obtain sufficient nutritional intake needed for good oral health, but the vomiting brings a constant flow of acids from the stomach, into contact with the teeth. As with any acids, over time this will lead to the erosion of the tooth enamel. Once this happens, dental decay is very likely, with the potentially painful toothache that can follow.
Can we help?
Fundamental treatment for bulimics and anorexics is beyond our remit and professional help should be sought. Thankfully, this is an issue which is now treated more seriously and general medical help is more widely available for those who seek it.
Even though we may not be able to treat underlying causes of these illnesses, it is still important to see a dentist on a regular basis as we will be able to identify and treat associated oral health conditions. Especially with bulimics, there is a heightened risk of dental problems and, by detecting problems early on, we can intervene with appropriate treatment. Hygienist visits are also available here at Mike Allen’s Dental Practice, where we can spot early signs of gum disease and offer treatment.
For recovered bulimics, we can also recommend suitable dental restorations as a solution for teeth that have eroded enamel. This can certainly help with self esteem issues as it allows you to have a natural looking smile again.
For more advice on dental care for those suffering with eating disorders, please call our Burton dental practice on 01283 845345.