EATING DISORDERS AND ITS EFFECT TOWARD THE ORAL CAVITY: A REVIEW

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Objective: To find and review the eating disorders and its effects towards the oral cavity.
Methods: Various articles were reviewed from Pubmed and the internet and were analyzed to write the review.
Results: It is evident from many studies that eating disorders and its effect are prevalent in our societies and has found to have a major effect in oral
health.
Conclusion: Eating disorders are found to be affecting almost 15% of young girls to varying degrees and around 5 to 10 times more than men. These
illnesses involve a constant pondering with food, a hallucinative body image and high end measures are taken by the victims to control weight to
the extent of harming their body and mental health and also disturbs their social relationships and interactions. The most common eating disorders
are anorexia nervosa (restriction of food intake) and bulimia (episodes of compulsive eating). Damage to the teeth associated with eating disorders
are normally caused due to both mechanical and chemical wear. The enamel can also be eroded by the excess of acid from the stomach and reduces
the enamel layer and thereby exposes the underlying dentine which is sensitive; the backs of the teeth, facing the palate and at the gum line around
the incisors also is affected. In due time,the enamel slowly erodes in the backside of the teeth.
Keywords: Eating, Disorder, Oral cavity.