A significant part of the recovery from bulimia nervosa focuses on your mental health and general emotional wellbeing. It's also necessary to address the physical aspects of your illness, and this should involve a trip to your dentist. You might have heard that bulimia nervosa can affect your dental health, and it's important to know why this is the case, as well as what can be done about it.
Acid Erosion and Your Teeth
The key effect that bulimia nervosa has on your teeth is corrosion. As you expel the contents of your stomach, the food and drink that is brought up are combined with digestive acids. These acids are corrosive, and regularly exposing your teeth to these corrosive elements can cause acid erosion, which primarily affects the posterior surfaces (the rear) of your teeth.
Your Dental Enamel
This acid erosion results in a weakening of your dental enamel, exposing the underlying dentin. Without this protective enamel, your teeth are far more susceptible to decay, which is why someone recovering from bulimia nervosa should schedule an appointment with their dentist. Your dentist will assess the level of damage, allowing them to take the necessary steps to restore your teeth.
Corrective Steps
The precise corrective steps required will depend on your specific level of acid erosion. In some cases, no action will be needed, but when the structure of a tooth has been compromised, it must be protected and/or restored.
Dental Sealants
Your dentist might decide to apply a dental sealant to vulnerable teeth. Sealants are typically used in younger patients who might be more susceptible to cavities, but they have a variety of applications. It's a thin, pliable coat of resin or glass ionomer, which is introduced to the surface of a tooth and then light-cured for instant drying. It's essentially an added level of protection for these teeth and can last for years. These sealants can easily be reapplied as needed.
Dental Bonding and Crowns
Alternatively, lost tooth structure can be restored with dental bonding, which is when your dentist rebuilds the tooth using a resin-based composite, which hardens as it dries. This replaces any portions of a tooth that have been lost or severely damaged due to acid erosion. When too much structure has been lost, the tooth might require a dental crown.
Because bulimia nervosa increases the acidic compounds your teeth are exposed to, your recovery should involve dental treatment to correct this damage.
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