My family's dental health is important to me. Unfortunately for me, it is not as important to my little ones. Getting my kids to brush and floss on a daily basis is almost like taking on an obstacle course. I talked to my family's dentist about different methods I could try to encourage them to brush and floss on a regular basis. Some of the tricks worked, some did not. After some experimentation and talking to other parents, I was able to come up with a lot of great tips for helping kids care for their teeth. I started this blog to help other parents get creative when it comes to their kids and dental care.
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A Guide to Creatively Handling a Child's Dental Health
Eating Disorders And Your Teeth
Bella Snyder
There are so many ways in which eating disorders are bad for your health. They can affect just about every part of your body due to their ability to deplete your body of the things it needs to continue functioning properly. This is why it should come as no surprise to learn that eating disorders can also take their toll on your teeth as well. While many of the negative things going on inside of your body may not be as outwardly scary since you won't see them when you look in the mirror, seeing the negative affects happen on your teeth can be a real eye-opener to some. To get a better understanding of what may be going on with your teeth when you have an eating disorder, you should read this article.
How can an eating disorder directly affect your teeth?
Two types of eating disorders that can take a toll on your teeth are bulimia and anorexia. Each one can cause a lot of damage to your teeth in ways that leave you needing to have a lot of dental work done.
Bulimia: When you suffer from bulimia you will gorge on food and them purge. Purging is the process of forcing yourself to throw up the foods you eat. When you do this, the acids from your stomach will go up into your mouth and eat away at the protective shell of your teeth, which is called the enamel. Once the enamel is thin and weak it increases your chances of tooth decay, cavities, breakage, fractures, tooth abscesses and infections, loose teeth and even tooth loss.
Anorexia: When you suffer from anorexia, you will deprive yourself of so much food that your body won't have enough to sustain in a healthy manner. This can lead to issues with all of your organs. While your entire body isn't getting the nutrients it needs, your teeth will also suffer. Your bone density in your jaw can become weak, your gums can become unhealthy and your teeth can become frail and brittle. This can also cause problems in all of the same dental areas mentioned with bulimia.
What a dentist may suggest for protecting your teeth
If the dentist suspects bulimia, they may recommend rinsing your mouth out after you purge with soda water or mouth-wash that doesn't contain sugar. They may also suggest using the softest toothbrush possible with a fluoride toothpaste.
If the dentist suspects anorexia, they may suggest certain vitamins to be taken on a daily basis that will help to give your body back some of the nutrients you aren't getting while basically starving yourself. Again, they may also suggest brushing with the softest bristled toothbrush available and fluoridated toothpaste.
Of course, the best course of action and something else they will more than likely suggest is to speak to your doctor openly about your condition so you can begin the proper treatment for your eating disorder. If your teeth have been completely damaged, then you may even need full mouth rehabilitation to correct your dental issues.
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