Living With Healthy Hunger Health Blog
Eating disorders significantly affect the dental well-being of an individual. Its signs can be mild to extremely serious. Patients with anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating issues often experience dental problems. The dentist in North Mankato helps in the detection of such issues through dental symptoms.
Anorexia and its Impact on Oral Health
Anorexic individuals restrict their diet and consumers beverages and meals in a limited amount. They do it out of fear of weight gain. They base their entire self-esteem on the number of calories consumed and end up punishing themselves for consuming too much food or unhealthy food.
Along with restricted calorie consumption, anorexic people use exercises, vomits, laxatives, enemas, etc., to reduce their weight and calories. They only consume food items that do not have fat or carbohydrates.
Eating disorders significantly affect the overall health and body of the affected individual. It must be taken seriously as the body becomes deficient in vitamins and other necessary nutrients due to limited food intake. It causes harm to the functioning of the body as well as their dental well-being. Some obvious dental symptoms of disordered eating include eroded enemas, dry mouth, enlargement of the library glands, dry lips, mouth sores, decaying teeth, sensitivity in the teeth, bruises, and other types of injury inside the mouth. People who vomit and constantly purge due to disordered eating behavior face erosion of tooth enamel as it contacts stomach acids that are strong and damage the teeth surface.
Role of dental professionals in the detection of disordered eating habits
Dental professionals help detect and warn of initial symptoms of eating disorders. The dental checkups include an assessment of hard and soft tissues present inside the mouth. They assess if the tooth surface has been eroded or injured. Dental professionals can recognize anyone with disordered eating habits. The assessment done by dental providers checks if foreign objects have been forced inside the mouth for vomiting. It can be found through bruises and injuries.
They are also able to detect if the enamel surface has been eroded through excessive contact with stomach acids. Tooth decay is also one of the signs used to detect eating disorders. Excessively eating sugary meals can lead to damaged teeth as well as a lack of other important nutrients.
Patients should not worry, as dental professionals are experts in dealing with such situations. They will discuss the symptoms assessed by them and prescribe toothpaste and vanishes for the protection of teeth. They also recommend dental products rich in fluoride as it helps in safeguarding the teeth from damage and strengthening it.
