Dutiful Dentists Detect Disorders Of The Eating Kind

I can just hear my readers (what few there are) quietly asking themselves "What do eating disorders have to do with dental health?? A lot, apparently. According to the Academy of General Dentistry, dentists are becoming the first line of defense when it comes to spotting eating disorders in patients. I mention this in light of the fact that National Eating Disorders Awareness Week begins tomorrow and runs through February 28.

"A parent may not recognize a child is anorexic or bulimic, however, through a routine dental checkup, a dentist may spot the oral signs of the disease," said Dr. Katina Morelli, D.D.S., dental director for Delta Dental of Illinois. "Eating disorders have serious implications for oral health and overall health so when dentists see the symptoms of eating disorders we encourage our patients to seek help."

Another Reason For Dental Checkups

Bad breath, sensitive teeth and eroded tooth enamel are just a few of the signs that dentists use to determine whether a patient suffers from an eating disorder. Other signs include teeth that are worn and appear almost translucent, mouth sores, dry mouth, cracked lips, bleeding gums, and tender mouth, throat and salivary glands. Any of these symptoms can alert a dentist to a potential eating disorder.

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, studies have found up to 89 percent of bulimic patients have signs of tooth erosion, due to the effects of stomach acid. Over time, this loss of tooth enamel can be considerable, and the teeth change color, shape and length.

Healthcare Savings Tip-Of-The-Week

COUNTERFEIT TOOTHBRUSHES?

First there was Molson beer. Then it was hockey players. Now it's counterfeit toothbrushes. It would be funny if it wasn't true but Health Canada (I'm not sure but I'm assuming that this is the Canadian Department of Health) is advising Canadian consumers and retailers to exercise caution when purchasing toothbrushes. Counterfeit toothbrushes falsely labelled as Colgate Massager, Colgate Navigator, Oral B Classic 40, Oral B Contura and Colgate 360 have been found on the Canadian market. Oh, Canada.