Dental aspects of bulimia nervosa: Implications for the health care team

Abstract

This paper reviews the published literature regarding the oral signs and symptoms of bulimia nervosa and discusses the benefits of involving the dental profession in the early identification of suspected cases. It is argued that the primary care dental team can act as a valuable resource to mental health professionals provided that liaison and mutual education take place. The oral manifestations of bulimia nervosa include increased levels of dental caries, sensitivity to hot and cold substances, dry mouth, enamel erosion and occasionally swelling of the parotid salivary gland. These signs can develop within six months of the onset of bulimia nervosa. The general dental practitioner is ideally placed to pick up these early warning signs. The oral condition may be controlled through local measures but the true value of the involvement of the dental practitioner may only be realized if they are made aware of the importance of early referral for specialist advice and management of the underlying condition and the consequent improvement in prognosis. Recent work has suggested that many dental practitioners are unaware of oral signs that may indicate the existence of bulimia nervosa and tend to restrict management to the local oral problem.

Dental Caries and Periodontal Status of Mentally Handicapped Institutilized Children

“…facial pain, preoccupation with dentures, excessive palatal erosion or self-inflicted injury. Oral manifestations of bulimia nervosa can develop within six months of onset [13] and enamel erosion is reported in sufferers of both anorexia and bulimia [14]. Burning mouth syndrome includes anxiety and depression as an aetiological factors [15].…”

Effects of Simulated Gastric Juice on CAD/CAM Resin Composites—Morphological and Mechanical Evaluations

“…In the latter type, the individual presents an inappropriate compensatory behavior, such as fasting or excessive exercise, without engaging in self‐induced vomiting or the use of enemas. Considering that within the purging type of bulimia, individuals are regularly exposed to vomitus, characteristic patterns of erosion can be observed on the maxillary palatal surfaces of anterior teeth and/or on the occlusal surfaces of posterior teeth …”

Conhecimento dos cirurgiões dentistas sobre manifestações orais em pacientes portadores de transtornos alimentares

“…Os resultados de outra pesquisa (13), são parecidos com este estudo, pois apenas, 29% relataram xerostomia e 19% relataram aumento da parótida como possíveis sinais. Segundo outros autores (14), 72,2% dos dentistas reconheceram xerostomia e 94,4% dos dentistas indicaram queilite angular.…”

“…Nos estudos de outros autores (13,14) semelhantes a este, não foram relatadas ilhas de ámalgama devido a erosão dentária nem bruxismo, apertamento dentário e fratura dental. Também não se fez referência à presença de úlceras, eritema de palato, faringe e gengiva, mucosite e sialodenite.…”