Bulimia
Oral differences are evident in people with bulimia. These include
- swelling salivary glands
- red, dry, and sore tongue
- sore throat that does not seem to go away
- small bruises on the roof of your mouth
Frequent vomiting will erode the tooth enamel and this usually happens on the tongue side of the upper front teeth. Your teeth will be at risk of decay when your tooth enamel erodes. Moreover, your teeth will be sensitive to cold and hot temperatures. If the enamel erosion is very bad then it can even change the way your upper and your lower teeth meet. The back teeth may shrink and some teeth may even be lost. Tooth erosion takes about three years to become evident. Take note that not all people who have bulimia will have this.
Several people with bulimia are malnourished. This can lead to poor healing and an increased risk for periodontal or gum disease. Even after your treatment of bulimia, it may take a while before you can control your vomiting episodes. In order to minimize the damage done on your stomach when you vomit, you have to rinse your mouth with water or with a mouth rinse that has fluoride. You should not brush your teeth right after your vomit. Stomach acid has the ability to weaken the enamel and brushing right after vomiting will wear it out even more. When you brush your teeth, you should use toothpaste that has high concentrations of fluoride. Fluoride makes your teeth stronger. Your dentist will prescribe daily fluoride treatments in the form of rinses or gels. You should also make sure to drink a lot of water in order to prevent dry mouth. Sometimes your dentist may prescribe saliva replacements as well.
How will your dentist treat someone with bulimia?
Your dentist will give you fluoride treatments or varnishes on your dental visits. Your dentist may also prescribe fluoride gel that you can use at home. Make sure to visit your dentist often. Dental treatment may be an important part of treating your bulimia so you should consider your dentist as part of your health care team. If you have really bad tooth damage and if you are being treated for bulimia at the same time then your dentist may give you an appliance that will protect your teeth from stomach acids.
When your bulimia is under control, you should have your teeth fixed already. Some of your teeth may need fillings while your other teeth may need crowns. Teeth that are damaged really badly may have to be extracted and replaced with bridges or dental implants.
Some conditions like depression, social disorders, and anxiety disorders usually occur with bulimia. People with bulimia are also drug addicts. Treating these conditions can affect your oral health as well so let your dentist know which medications you are taking and their respective dosages.