How eating disorders may impact your oral health and how your dental team can assist in identifying the early warning symptoms
Dental experts are frequently among the first to spot potential warning signs of eating disorders including anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder, which all have detrimental consequences on the mouth and symptoms that can range from mild to severe.
Oral health can be impacted by eating disorders, according to several research. For this reason, Eating Disorders Awareness Week is being supported by the Oral Health Foundation.
Let’s examine the primary signs of each ailment, their potential effects on oral health, and the ways in which your dental team may assist you in this blog article.
Anorexia: What is it?
Anorexics restrict their food and drink intake because they are afraid of gaining weight. Many anorexics punish themselves for overeating or for consuming the “wrong kinds” of food because they believe that their calorie intake determines their value.
What is bulimia?
Binge-purge eating behaviours are the basis for the diagnosis of bulimia nervosa, a binge eating disorder. You must be bingeing (consuming too many calories at one sitting) and purging (releasing food and calories through excessive activity, laxative use, or pushing oneself to throw up) for an extended length of time on a regular basis in order to be diagnosed with bulimia.
Other symptoms of bulimia include fatigue, constipation and/or bloating, stomach discomfort, and irregular menstrual periods.
A binge eating disorder: what is it?
In the past, binge eaters were categorised as food addicts. They often consume huge amounts of food and/or alcohol without feeling in control of their behaviour. These binges might be planned in advance, with the sufferer purchasing “special” items to consume, or they can happen on their own.
Binge eaters are not “overindulging” in food or merely consuming excessive amounts; they are unpleasant experiences that frequently bring patients great discomfort and humiliation.
Eating more quickly than usual, eating until you’re uncomfortable full, eating a lot of food when you’re not hungry, eating by yourself because you’re embarrassed by how much you’re eating, and experiencing disgust, humiliation, or guilt during or after the binge are all signs of a binge eating episode.
What impact might eating problems have on oral health?
All of these eating disorders have detrimental impacts on the bodies of those who suffer from them and should be recognised as severe medical issues.
The body may shut down and malfunction as a result of possible vitamin and nutritional shortages, which will also show up in the mouth. Among the oral indicators of eating disorders are:
- erosion of enamel
- Mouth dryness
- Salivary gland enlargement
- Dry or cracked lips
- Sores in the mouth
- decay of the teeth
- Teeth that are sensitive
- bruising and/or oral injuries