How many of you are aware that eating disorders have a strong bonding with bad oral health? Perhaps, you would be surprised to know that a dentist is likely to be first health professional who can detect your eating disorder through the signs and symptoms present in your oral health. It is not only about the usual advice of sugary substances causing cavities in teeth, but a high consumption of acidic food or liquid can also create a bad oral health. Dentists associated with one of the renowned dental clinics in Pune aptly points out that eating disorders have detrimental effects on dental health.
Eating disorders
Although eating disorders are mostly categorized under psychotic problem, it results in more of physiological complications.
• Anorexia deals with unnecessary fear of gaining weight and thereby eating very less than what is required. In order to maintain the low body weight, individuals drastically reduce the intake and deprive the body of necessary nutrients
• On the other hand, Bulimia is all about discrete periods of overeating followed with artificial purging techniques such as self induced vomiting, and enemas for compensating the high calorie intake and avoiding weight gain.
Both these eating disorder types have severe implications in the overall wellbeing of body and dental health in particular.
Effects of eating disorders
• As the intake of necessary nutrients is drastically cut, soft tissues and gums inside the mouth may bleed and salivary glands may swell.
• Again due to severe food restrictions, insufficient nutrients, and minerals such calcium, Vitamin B and iron, that are very much required for good oral health, may lead to tooth decay and other complications. It is noteworthy to borne in the mind that deficiency of iron and vitamin B3 lead to sores development in the mouth and bad breath respectively. In severe cases, it may also lead to severe gum problems such as gingivitis.
• In case of Bulimia, self-induced vomiting is usually practiced as the purging technique. This is not desirable as the acids present in the stomach frequently flow over the teeth and leaches the enamel coating of the teeth. Moreover, this may lead the teeth to become very sensitive against any hot or cold liquids.
• Due to enamel loss, teeth become very weak and start breaking off very easily. In few instances, the pulp may get exposed and cause severe tooth decay and infection.
• One of the other dangerous associations between dental health and eating disorder is the occurrence of degenerative arthritis in the jaw joints. This condition may lead to joint pains, headaches and even difficulty in opening and closing the mouth.
Treatment methodologies
As mentioned earlier, even if you don’t reveal your dentist about the eating disorder, it would not take much of his / her time to find it out. The soft palate damage, which otherwise does not usually occur, is a typical by-product of purging and your dentist can easily spot it.
• Maintenance of good oral health assumes high importance for individuals who are affected with eating disorder. Needless to stress further, meticulous tooth brushing and flossing are the need of the hour.
• After purging, it is not advisable to brush your teeth, as it may push the acids deep into the enamels. It is always better to rinse the mouth with sugar free mouth wash solutions or plain water.
• Again after self induced vomiting, it is quite common for the mouth to go dry and lead to tooth decay. Moderate sipping of water or sugar free chewing gum is highly recommended in such cases to reduce the chances of tooth decay.
• If necessary, your dentist may also prescribe fluoride rinses or mineralization agents to bring back life to your weak teeth.
In short, be honest with your dentist and share with him about your eating disorder and pave way for easier treatment. To ascertain that your eating disorder problems have not caused any damage to your oral health, contact your dental surgeon in Pune at the earliest.
Dr. Nitin Oswal
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