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Eating disorders are linked to a variety of factors. It is most common in teenagers and young adult women. Most common eating disorders are anorexia, bulimia and binge eating.
Oral health is mostly affected by self-induced vomiting and nutritional deficiency associated with eating disorders, leading to:
- Loss of enamel due to the flowing of acid stomach over the teeth.
- Change in teeth color, shape and length.
- Brittle and weak teeth.
- Discoloration and infection of pulp.
- Dental damage due to tooth brushing following vomiting.
- Loss of tooth structure.
- Redness, scratches and cuts inside the mouth, especially on the upper palate surface.
- Red and swollen gums.
- Dry mouth and red, cracked lips.
- Weakening of the jaw bones due to the development of osteoporosis in some cases.
- Tooth decay and gum disease due to calcium and vitamin D deficiency.
- Sores inside the mouth due to iron deficiency.
Complete recovery from eating disorders is possible. Below are some steps to help guard oral health:
- Maintain meticulous oral health care with daily tooth brushing and flossing.
- After an episode of vomiting, rinse mouth with water immediately to minimize acid attack on teeth. Brushing should be avoided for an hour to avoid scrubbing stomach acids into the tooth.
- If suffering from dry mouth, moisturize mouth with water or other products if recommended by your dentist to reduce decay.
- Use fluoride rinses, desensitizing or re-mineralizing agents if recommended by your dentist.