Eating Disorders Affecting Oral Health

Good oral health is important for a person's sense of well being and quality of life (Fiske, 2001). Inadequate oral hygiene can lead to pain, tooth loss, oral disease,

Nowadays, when people emphasis more and more on healthy lifestyles, both exercise and food intake have become a big part of the consideration. With the goals of being fit and losing weight, some people eat irregularly or do not eat at all. As a result, eating disorders seem more often on news and reports. However, some people still view it as a joke. With the increasing number of people diagnosed with eating disorders, people should raise awareness on the effects of eating disorders and treat them seriously.

At present, these eating disorders have an effect on roughly 25 million Americans, of which almost 25% are of the male gender. Out of all the psychological disorders, anorexia has the highest mortality rate. The whys and wherefores include malnourishment, substance abuse and reckless suicides. Eating disorders can happen to anyone; no matter whether they’re male or female, rich or poor, old or young. According to many researchers, eating disorders are caused by more than just food. There are numerous

“Pain from dental caries, infection, poorly cared teeth affect appetite and chewing ability, impacts future nutritional status” (Edelman & Mandle, 2010).

Eating disorders are in no way, to be considered “no big deal”. It affects the lives of many poor unsuspecting human beings and in some cases, fatally takes lives. This topic presents many things that most people don’t know. Such as the fact that bulimia nervosa has similar symptoms to using the drug heroin! Rotten teeth, pale and dry skin, and even failing organs are usually signs that someone may have bulimia. There are always key signs and factors to recognizing an eating disorder. Eating disorders are serious. We all should be aware of the affect it has on an individual, and if anyone knows or sees a person struggling with an eating disorder, outreaching and a simple hand in the right direction can save a life. Eating disorders get in the mind of an individual, then ruin the body, then finally ruin the mind.

Eating Disorders affect 5-10 million Americans, and thousands of people die each year from their complications. Although some groups are at a greater risk than others, eating disorders occur in people of all ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds. We do not know what causes eating disorders, but many factors have been identified that may play a role (Smolin and Mary Grosvenor, 40).

Dental health is one of the most important matters in our lives. Without proper dental tonicity, people can obtain dental problems, which can be as severe as death. In order to maintain proper dental care go to your dentist every six months. It is also important to change your toothbrush regularly, floss, use fluoride, and eat healthy foods. Healthy foods may consist of fruits, vegetables, breads, meats, and drinking water is crucial to your dental health by maintaining a moisturized mouth. A moisturized mouth protects our hard and soft oral tissues. Children and adults should know the benefits of maintaining proper oral hygiene while preventing poor oral asepticism.. Not only does good oral hygiene affects our mouth it also affects our overall health.

After watching the PBS documentary dying to be thin I learned a number of new things about eating disorders. The affects an eating disorder can have on the human body are catastrophic in all aspects. Research shows that eating disorders start as early as eight years old in the brain. Children have the beginning ideas at about this age and by a couple years later are fully submerged in bulimia or anorexia. There are different types of eating disorders some people over eat and try to make themselves seem unattractive. While others actually control their food so greatly they lose a massive amount of weight. Either one of these types of eating disorders have negative effects on a person’s body. Unfortunately, most people suffering from eating disorders have been sexually

Jennifer, a 15 year-old-girl in high school binge eats "fatty foods" during lunch time at school and at home, for example, cookies, cakes, candy etc. Her friends and family have noticed that when she is done eating so much food, she'll get up and go straight to the bathroom, which is where she purges and causes herself to throw up everything she has just finished eating. She excessivly goes on diets followed by excessive excercises. When she attended her dentist appointment, the dentist noticed that the enamel of her teeth have been awfully destroyed, but he could not figure out why. Since she has been purging, the stomach acids found in vomit is what has been destroying the enamel on her teeth. She has noticed that she has been loosing

Eating Disorders: Physical and Psychological Damages Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and disordered eating. That's all we see in the bathroom stalls on the seventh floor in Hayes – Healy. What exactly are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and disordered eating? Anorexia, bulimia, and disordered eating are habits that become an eating disorder. There are two sides to understanding the problems of eating disorders. One side is the emotional or psychological side that is affected by eating disorders. The other is the physical side. Eating disorders are harmful and can cause physical and psychological damage to ones body. According to Craig Johnson, Ph.D., and director of the eating disorders program at Laureate Hospital in Tulsa, Oak.

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder distinguished by its psychological, physiological, developmental, and social components. The disorder is characterized by binge eating shortly followed by harmful compensatory behaviors, such as abuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas, stimulants, vomiting, fasting, or excessive exercise. This is known as the “Binge-Purge Cycle”. Unlike anorexia nervosa, those with bulimia nervosa fall within a normal or slightly overweight weight range and usually perform their eating disordered behaviors in secret due to the severe feelings of shame and disgust which accompany the binge-purge cycle. Due to the intensity of the combined mental and physical assault bulimia has on the body, complications of bulimia can stay with a patient long after recovery is achieved. Such complications include, but are not limited to: Decaying tooth enamel (tooth rot) due to the stomach acid constantly eroding the protective layering on the teeth; those who have suffered from this eating disorder for more than seven years (the average time of recovery for those with bulimia nervosa) have a great likelihood of rupturing either their stomach or

Bulimia is a serious condition where you constantly alternate between gorging on food and then vomiting it back up. It can destroy your health because of the lack of nutrition your body receives. Bulimia is also very hard on your teeth. As part of your recovery from bulimia, you'll need to work closely with your dentist to repair damage to your gums and teeth in order to restore your oral health. Here's what you need to know about bulimia and dental health.

An eating disorder is then characterized as a psychological problem where people have abnormal eating habits. Mayo Clinic states that, “The most common eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge-eating Disorder” (2015). According to the American Psychological Association, these disorders “are abnormal eating habits that can threaten your health or even your life” (n.d). Most people with these disorders focus too much on their weight and shape of their body. Dr. Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann reports, “Eating disorders are the third most common chronic illness among adolescents, after obesity and asthma” (2015). “The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa Associated Disorders says, “An eating disorder is an unhealthy relationship with food and weight that interferes with many areas of a person’s life. One’s thoughts become preoccupied with food, weight, or exercise” (n.d). Because of this condition, the daily life of a student becomes altered physically, emotionally, and

Studies have shown that three percent of males and eight percent of females who were in high school said that they have either purged or took laxatives to lose weight (3). The symptoms of bulimia are tooth erosion, swallowing problems, esophagus problems, and acute stomach distress (“Eating Disorders”). However, binge eating disorder is completely opposite from anorexia and bulimia. Binge eating is when a person over eats in a short period of time. According to Susan Frissell and Paula Harney, two percent of the population suffers from binge eating disorder (27). Studies show that depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, and stomach pain is found in many people who suffer from binge eating disorder (Elkins 45; Kittleson 4). Many people will develop binge eating disorder because they want to distract themselves from a painful event that has happened in their life (Frissell and Harney 27).

Eating disorders stem from a combination of psychological, biological, and social factors. Feelings of depression and anxiety along with daily stressors can contribute to