Eating Desorders and Oral Health

As many parents know, what our children eat affects the health of their teeth. Unfortunately, changes in oral health can be the first sign of an eating disorder in your child. According to Dr. Yury Slepak, an American Board Certified Pediatric dentist with Brooklyn Pediatric Dentistry, eating disorders can have long lasting and severe consequences for patients struggling with this mental health crisis.

Due to a lack of nutrition, children and teens with an eating disorder may find their gums bleed much more easily and their saliva glands may swell, causing dry mouth. Patients suffering from an eating disorder lack necessary vitamins and minerals that maintain proper oral health. Frequenting vomiting forces stomach acid over the teeth, which can erode the tooth’s enamel and over time, the tooth can become transparent, brittle or weak. Teens and children with an eating disorder can also develop degenerative arthritis of the temporomandibular joint, the hinge that connects the lower jaw to the upper. Purging can also cause cuts on the soft palate, one of the first signs of an eating disorder.

While your teen is being treated for an eating disorder, it is important for him or her to maintain proper oral care in the form of brushing and flossing. Honest communication between the parent, the patient and his or her dentist is essential during this time. Until the teen can receive help to stop purging, encourage him or her to rinse immediately after every purging episode to prevent stomach acid from remaining on the teeth. Brushing should be halted for an hour after each episode to prevent your child from rubbing the stomach acid into the tooth enamel.

Eating disorders are a serious mental health issue, but with proper advice and care from your dentist, your teen should be able to maintain a healthy mouth, while he or she is receiving mental health treatment for his or her disorder.