How do eating disorders affect my teeth?
It’s very important that if you have or had an eating disorder condition you take special care of the state of your teeth. More than 10 million people in America are affected by eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia and obesity and each of these diseases affects your body and oral health differently:
- Anorexia: This disease can weaken teeth and bones, even causes xerostomia and osteoporosis. It also causes tooth decay due to dehydration.
- Bulimia: When you induce binges and then purges, you can hurt your teeth due to the acids that come from the stomach. This causes loss of pigmentation and resistance. Eventually all the teeth could be lost.
- Obesity: This is characterized by weak control of hunger, it is a disorder mixed with anxiety and depression. You could have cavities if you do not clean your teeth properly. This is the least harmful disorder for the teeth, but that does not mean it is better, because overeating is dangerous to overall health. Some bulimics use dentures and some anorexic patients may need them.
The best thing to do is have a balanced diet full of calcium, vitamins, minerals and proteins. We recommend you follow the instructions of doctors, psychologists and dentists. Some of the solutions we can provide to patients who’s teeth are affected by eating disorders and have decayed dental pieces could be the use of crowns or bridges. If you have lost some already, dental implants would be the best option if your bone is healthy enough. We always do evaluations to see if you are a candidate for these procedures.
If you want to know more about what our dentists in Cancun Cosmetic Dentistry can do for you call toll free from USA and Canada 1-800-565-1424, or if you are already on vacation in Cancun and want to meet us, you can call us for an appointment at the following local number (998) 1-40-51-25.
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