People suffering from eating disorders tend to have certain emotional or cognitive issues which influence their perception of food. Still, such disorders are quite broad and can affect even the health of one’s mouth. This is because such conditions do not only affect the mental and physical health of an individual but even cause complications to one’s oral health. While most people who are affected by eating disorders think of them as the individual’s weight and appearance, such disorders tend to have consequences on the person’s health in ways that can be quite shocking even damaging the teeth in some cases.

This is why it is important to understand bulimia, anorexia, and other disorders of this kind, for they deal with dental health, which is a key component of general health.

In this blog, we shall discuss seven ways in which anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder affect one’s oral health. In these cases, whether you are a disturbed friend or family member or simply someone wanting to know about the hidden side of dissociative eating disorders, they are meant to contribute to studies and raise concerns according to the leading dentist in Nagpur.

7 Ways Eating Disorders Can Affect Your Mouth

1. Tooth Erosion

The primary oral effect of eating disorders is tooth erosion, and this is one of the fastest. This is typically the case for people suffering from bulimia because the binge-purge cycle results in the regurgitation of stomach contents that contain strong acidic juices that come into contact with teeth. The strong acid that is vomited onto the otherwise protected teeth slowly bevels the enamel, which is a hard surface that coats the teeth. Consequently, prolonged exposure to vomiting may in turn cause the teeth to appear with unsightly yellowish stains or dark stains because the inner more superficial layer which is the dentin is becoming more visible.

Another effect of tooth erosion apart from looking bad is making the affected teeth susceptible to thermal variations as well as making the respective teeth easy to dental caries.

This is because nothing can be done to the enamel after each progressive loss, such that a protective treatment against external factors is necessary. Most dentists believe that the erosion of the dental enamel is one of the first signs in the diagnosis of bulimia nervous, hence an eating disorder.

2. Indicating Development of Cavities

Cavities are also a risk for developing in an individual suffering from anorexia, bulimia, or any other eating disorder. This is because the eating patterns and nourishment practices in both anorexic and bulimic patients are quite abnormal, thus contributing to low saliva generation. Saliva is critical in clearing food substances and neutralizing any associated acids. When salivary flow is compromised, the oral cavity becomes prone to plaque accumulation and bacterial overgrowth that ultimately results in dental caries.

Moreover, those suffering from binge-eating disorder tend to repeatedly eat most sugary and acidic foodstuffs that can create a cavity-causing situation in their mouths’ internal environment. Cavities, in the absence of regular dental visits, may remain asymptomatic during their development until the point reaches when they can be painful and require further invasive dental treatments.

3. Periodontal Disease and Bleeding Gums

More effort, eating disorders tend to the mouth, also risk factors added regarding gum disease. Individuals suffering from eating disorders also tend to be deficient in several vitamins, for instance, vitamin C, which is vital for the health of the gum. When such vitamin deficiencies are present, immunity is interfered with and the ability of the body to repair tissues is hampered which increases the risk of inflammation or infection of the gum.

Individuals with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa also experience suppression of the blood supply to the gums leading to the gums becoming white, edematous, or even bleeding. Periodontitis can be prevented with diligent homecare and treatment of gingivitis before it escalates in severity and becomes an advanced disease resulting in teeth loss. As soon as one starts noticing the signs of periodontal disease which include bleeding gums when brushing as well as a recurrent foul smell from the mouth, it is very important to visit a dentist who will advise on dental and nutritional health.

4. Dry Mouth (Xerostomia) 

Another oral concern linked with eating disorders is dry mouth or xerostomia. Insufficient production of saliva, be it from any source such as medication, dehydration or even lack of nutrients can all lead to an uncomfortable dry mouth. Saliva plays an important role in keeping the mouth healthy by clearing away food and bacteria from the mouth, in the absence of saliva, bacteria can grow which increases the risk of dental infections, decay, and also bad breath.

It can also make it difficult to eat or speak without discomfort. This is a secondary condition that further reduces oral functionality and hence the quality of life also decreases. To ease dry mouth and enhance oral hygiene, dentists often suggest using a salivary substitute, chewing gum that does not contain sugar, or drinking more water.

5. Tooth Sensitivity and Pain 

Enamel that is worn will expose dentin which has microscopic tubules that are connected to the nerve inside the tooth. This extreme sensitivity can be such that one is unable to tolerate anything hot, cold, or sweet. For a person suffering from eating disorders, this sensitivity may have a progression and make eating sensations boring and uncomfortable.

Tooth sensitivity is one of the signs that the enamel has deteriorated and is commonly experienced by individuals with eating disorders, especially bulimics. Though medications such as sensitive toothpaste and dental skills do help stop some pain, the most important factor remains to resolve the issue that is causing damage to the enamel in the first place.

6. Breath Issues (Halitosis)

Eating disorders also have a way of influencing one’s oral cavity in the form of oral diseases. Or, quite simply, halitosis arises due to various factors linked with an eating disorder i.e. dry mouth, low saliva level, and heightened bacteria levels. Furthermore, a bad odor is usually caused by strong acid in the throat after excess vomiting.

Bad odor is likely to cause a strain in social situations which people who have an eating disorder try to avoid making the situation worse. Drinking plenty of water, maintaining oral hygiene, or even drug prescriptions in extreme circumstances all help in relieving the halitosis but the eating disorder needs to be treated for effective cure.

7. Soft Tissues Affected

Anorexia and bulimia can also affect the soft tissues of the mouth including the inner cheeks, tongue, and gums. For instance, bulimia patients often develop ‘cheek bites’ that are small injuries sustained on inner soft tissues from contact with the vomit over long periods. Oral tissues may present with blisters and lacerations or become simply red and angry in appearance from excessive vomiting. These blisters can be quite discomforting and are at risk of secondary infection if left unchecked.

For some of these people, this condition, known as sialadenosis, is associated with enlarged salivary glands owing to the effects of chronic vomiting. This causes discomfort as well as a puffy face appearance. These changes may often be recognized by the dentist during a simple check-up. This allows for preventive measures to be enforced.

How to Safeguard Your Mouth While Practicing Restrained Eating?

If you have an eating disorder, or if you know someone who has, certain steps must be taken to preserve oral health. There are some helpful suggestions as follows:

• Rinse After Eating or Vomiting: When syringing after eating or cleansing their mouth with any kind of a wash, use only water and non-nausea-inducing washings especially after one has vomited. Vomiting is a pretty nasty act.
• Avoid Chasing Teeth Following Vomiting: vomit-induced brushing should not be done because it will force the already irritable conditions of the mouth to further irritate the teeth, specifically the enamel. Allow at least half an hour to pass before brushing.
• Drink Water: It is quite essential for a person who wishes to retain oral health because a regular intake of water encourages the production of means of moistening the oral cavity and also helps to the oral cavity fluid from evaporating, especially in circumstances where the person would be under the condition known as drought to the mouth.
• Get Help: Dentists can deliver treatments and recommendations that are customized for each individual and in some cases, they may join their efforts with those of other specialists such as psychologists to enhance healing.
• Getting Support Having a Balanced Diet: Whenever appropriate, endeavor to incorporate foods rich in nutrients into diets so as to ensure proper health and oral care. Balancing these requirements is possible through the intervention of a dietitian.

Eating disorders can be very difficult problems and often very individual issues. They also influence every single area of a person’s being – including the person’s health and that person’s mouth. This draws attention to how eating disorders have both mental and physical components – mental in the sense of the illness and the physical in its consequences.

Problems related to dental health such as erosion of the teeth, loss of teeth, disease of the gums, and the inside of your mouth smell include smells from vomit or below.

If you are worried about the way the disorders might affect the mouth, keep in mind that help is out there. Protection of the mouth from oral health deterioration can be offered by the dental profession but recovery also involves psychiatric assisted nutrition – which is very important. These effects on those suffering from eating disorders are relatively not known hence we mas.