Eating disorders and oral health: A review of the literature

Abstract

This article is a review of the recent literature pertaining to the oral sequelae of eating disorders (EDs). Dentists are recognized as being some of the first health care professionals to whom a previously undiagnosed eating disorder patient (EDP) may present. However, despite the prevalence (up to 4 per cent) of such conditions in teenage girls and young adult females, there is relatively little published in the recent literature regarding the oral sequelae of EDs. This compares unfavourably with the attention given recently in the dental literature to conditions such as diabetes mellitus, which have a similar prevalence in the adult population. The incidence of EDs is increasing and it would be expected that dentists who treat patients in the affected age groups would encounter more individuals exhibiting EDs. Most of the reports in the literature concentrate on the obvious clinical features of dental destruction (perimolysis), parotid swelling and biochemical abnormalities particularly related to salivary and pancreatic amylase. However, there is no consistency in explanation of the oral phenomena and epiphenomena seen in EDs. Many EDPs are nutritionally challenged; there is a relative lack of information pertaining to non-dental, oral lesions associated with nutritional deficiencies.

Características morfofuncionais do trânsito orofaríngeo na bulimia: revisão de literatura

“…Mais estudos são necessários em relação à sensibilidade orofaríngea em bulímicos, pois as fases oral e faríngea da deglutição podem estar alteradas secundariamente ao reconhecimento de características do alimento como volume, viscosidade e temperatura 15 . Ainda em relação à sensibilidade, a literatura menciona que indivíduos com uma longa história de bulimia tem um grande risco de desenvolver uma redução da sensibilidade gustativa (hipogeusia) 10,18,35 . Não há explicação clara para este achado, pois os estudos realizados não dividem os bulími-cos por método de compensação.…”

“…A etiologia da queilite angular também está associada à presença do fungo Candida albicans 35 . Nota-se, portanto, que tais achados podem estar associados até mesmo às queixas na fase preparatória oral da deglutição.…”

Risk behaviors related to eating disorders in adolescents and its association with dental erosion

“…The prevalence of eating disorders is 36.5% and women are the most affected 6 . The etiology of major eating disorders, anorexia and bulimia nervosa, is unknown and they are characterized by abnormal eating patterns and weight control, as well as changes in body perception and weight 7 .…”

Dental Implications of Eating Disorders

“…The studies revealed erosive lesions to appear more often in anorectic patients (with restrictive anorexia) than in bulimic ones or those with bulimic anorexia, i.e. in those patients who vomit, but at the same time more often than in healthy individuals [14,16,31].…”

“…Thirst following exercise is often quenched with energy or isotonic drinks of low pH (below 3.0) [16,23]. The location of non-carious lesions is due to a specific etiological factor, such as vomiting, dietary or hygienic habits [16,31]. The studies revealed erosive lesions to appear more often in anorectic patients (with restrictive anorexia) than in bulimic ones or those with bulimic anorexia, i.e.…”