Glenvale Dental Group
240 Springvale Rd
Glen Waverley 3150
Ph 9802 2899
Information sheet from www.glenwaverleydental.com.au

Anorexia and eating disorders

Eating disorders such as anorexia nervous and bulimia nervosa maybe recognized by the dentist before any other health care professional.
Anorexia nervosa
· Body weight is maintained at less than 85 % expected for age
· Distorted body image
· Endocrine disorder typified by amenorrhoea

Bulimia nervosa
· Persistent preoccupation with eating
· Compensating for over-eating with behaviour to decrease calorie intake or expend calories e.g. vomiting, exercise, laxative abuse.
· Fear of becoming fat

Dental problems that may occur with eating disorders

• Tooth erosion
  Vomiting causes teeth to erode (wear). When this happens AND someone is drinking large amounts of acid drinks the enamel and tooth surfaces wears considerably fast than ‘normal’.
• Dental caries
  Decay is a problem involving the interplay between diet, tooth cleaning and saliva. Antidepressants used in the treatment of eating disorders may decrease saliva flow and increase the risk of decay – beware!
• Reduced Bone health
  Adolescent females with an eating disorder may show low peak bone mass so it would be expected that periodontal disease may be enhance later in life.
• Soft tissue damage
  Inducing vomiting by putting objects down your throat will cause injuries that dentist may see. Glossitis (inflammation of the tongue), ulcers and candida infections can be a sign of lack of vitamins and other nutritional deficiencies that can result from an eating disorder.
• Salivary glands changes
  Some people who vomit with bulimia nervosa have salivary gland swelling.
  Taste impairment (hypogeusia) is associated with bulimia nervosa.
  

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