Text Link

Learn more about the results we get at Within

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Learn more about the results we get at Within

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

What are bulimia teeth?

No items found.
No items found.

What does bulimia do to your teeth? When someone purges, which happens frequently when someone has bulimia nervosa (BN), acids in their vomit damage the tooth enamel. Although tooth enamel is the hardest and most resilient tissue in the human body, it’s not impermeable to acids. When the acid comes in contact with the tooth enamel, it enters the tooth through small tubules and begins to destroy the tooth. This is called dental erosion, and can create “bulimia teeth”. (1)

2
 minutes read
Last updated on 
October 28, 2022
In this article

Bulimia teeth signs and symptoms

People who struggle with bulimia nervosa often do so in secret and do not realize they have a serious mental health condition that can cause equally serious physical complications. Health practitioners may not be looking for signs that someone may have bulimia. But often there are signs that, if detected, can gently prompt someone to get the help they need before the condition gets worse. (1) Dental erosion, sometimes called “bulimia teeth,” is one. 

Dental erosion, (or bulimia teeth) and damage to mouth tissue can be visible signs that something more serious is going on. (2)  They include: (1)

  • Worn down teeth
  • Chipped or broken teeth
  • Yellowed teeth 
  • Dull, not shiny, teeth
  • Tooth sensitivity to cold and heat
  • Predisposition to develop cavities
  • Mouth sores
  • Swelling of cheeks, mouth or jaw
  • Enlarged salivary glands

How can you prevent bulimia teeth? 

There are many ways to help prevent more damage to teeth and potentially restore the deterioration that has occurred already. Your dentist can recommend practices to help you repair and care for your teeth. 

This can include brushing and rinsing with water only after teeth are exposed to acids or sugar. Do not use toothpaste. Consider using  a water pick. Thorough brushing and rinsing with  water will dilute the acids on the surface of the teeth. 

Damaged surfaces can be repaired with porcelain-laminate veneers, dentin-bonded crowns with minimal tooth preparation, composites, and complete–coverage restorations. (2)

Working with a nutritionist can help prevent further damage and rebuild strong teeth. A nutritionist can provide education and develop a meal plan that includes a variety of foods that contain essential nutrients, including vitamin D, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, boron, zinc, vitamin C, and phosphorus.

You might be interested in

Seek treatment for bulimia 

But eating enough food to ensure nutritional needs are met is not so simple for people who struggle with eating disorders. And repairing damaged teeth will only be a temporary fix if purging continues. Critical to any effort to repair the teeth and prevent future destruction is to stop the behavior that is causing the damage. Dental care and adequate nutrition are just two components of a comprehensive, multidisciplinary eating disorder treatment program that can address the underlying condition that is driving the behavior: bulimia nervosa (BN).

If you suspect you or someone you love may have bulimia, please seek help as soon as possible. Contact Within Health to learn more.

Disclaimer about "overeating": Within Health hesitatingly uses the word "overeating" because it is the term currently associated with this condition in society, however, we believe it inherently overlooks the various psychological aspects of this condition which are often interconnected with internalized diet culture, and a restrictive mindset about food. For the remainder of this piece, we will therefore be putting "overeating" in quotations to recognize that the diagnosis itself pathologizes behavior that is potentially hardwired and adaptive to a restrictive mindset.

Disclaimer about weight loss drugs: Within does not endorse the use of any weight loss drug or behavior and seeks to provide education on the insidious nature of diet culture. We understand the complex nature of disordered eating and eating disorders and strongly encourage anyone engaging in these behaviors to reach out for help as soon as possible. No statement should be taken as healthcare advice. All healthcare decisions should be made with your individual healthcare provider.

Resources

  1. Bretz W. A. (2002). Oral profiles of bulimic women: Diagnosis and management. What is the evidence? The journal of evidence-based dental practice, 2(4), 267–272. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1532-3382(02)70078-x
  2. Uhlen, MM., Tveit, A.B., Refsholt Stenhagen, K. et al. Self-induced vomiting and dental erosion – a clinical study. BMC Oral Health, 14, 92 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6831-14-92

FAQs

Further reading

Dangers of bulimia nervosa on your health and well-being

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by extremes. People struggling with this condition move...

Recognizing bulimia nervosa symptoms in teenagers

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a dangerous eating disorder that affects people of all ages, but the condition can...

How to be a supportive partner when dating someone with bulimia nervosa

A strong support system is one of the most important tools a person can have when recovering from an eating...

Can your heart recover from bulimia?

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is an eating disorder characterized by a cycle of restricting food, binging, and...

Treating bulimia and anemia

Bulimia and anemia tend to coexist. Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a type of eating disorder involving restricting...

Can bulimia cause high cholesterol?

Bulimia nervosa (BN) causes many short-term physical effects. However, long-ranging health concerns are...

Bulimia facts and statistics

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is an eating disorder characterized by a recurrent cycle of binging and purging...

Bulimia’s impact on your sleep

Bulimia nervosa (BN) can have a significant impact on numerous aspects of...

Does bulimia cause hearing loss?

Most people are familiar with the digestive system complications bulimia...

Why does bulimia cause broken blood vessels?

Attempts at vomiting put extra pressure on the blood vessels of the...

What is bulimia bloat?

Bulimia bloat is not a medical term, but it is frequently used to describe the distended (swollen) belly...

Which digestive problems does bulimia cause?

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a serious mental health disorder, but the condition often manifests as a number of...

Why does bulimia shaking occur?

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a serious mental health condition, but it manifests in a number of physical ways...

Can bulimia cause ulcers in the stomach?

The connection between bulimia and stomach ulcers is due to stomach...

Bulimia nervosa and thyroid issues

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is an eating disorder characterized by cycles of binging and purging, or periods of...

What is sialadentis, or bulimia cheeks?

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is one of the most widely-recognized eating disorders impacting...

How bulimia can (permanently) affect your teeth

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a serious psychiatric disorder that involves frequent...

What are the complications of bulimia?

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a serious eating disorder that can have a large impact on both mental and physical...

What are bulimia teeth?

When someone purges, which happens frequently when someone has bulimia nervosa...

The relationship between bulimia, skin, and acne

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a mental health disorder, but the condition can also cause a number of physical...

Is there a relationship between bulimia, acid reflux, and GERD?

Acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are medical conditions involving the movement of...

Is hair loss a symptom of bulimia nervosa?

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is an eating disorder that can lead to many medical comp...

How bulimia affects the jaw: pain and swelling problems

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is an eating disorder that affects many parts of the body, incl...

How bulimia affects your period

Eating disorders like anorexia nervosa (AN), binge eating disorder (BED), and bulimia nervosa (BN) may...

How bulimia affects the upper GI and respiratory tract

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is an eating disorder that involves frequent purging...

How bulimia affects your knuckles

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a serious eating disorder, in which people engage in eating...

Blood in vomit from bulimia: esophagus damage caused by throwing up

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a serious eating disorder that can have numerous medical complications if left...

Can bulimia cause cancer?

Some diseases are more likely to lead to cancer than others. For example, alcoholism...

Russell's sign: bulimia knuckles, hands and fingers

Although bulimia nervosa (BN) is an insidious disease, usually characterized by secretive behavior to mask...

Can bulimia cause headaches?

It’s common for individuals with bulimia nervosa (BN) to experience headaches. One...

Bulimia and pregnancy complications and birth defects

Pregnancy can be an exciting time for a mother-to-be. Many expectant mothers look...

Further reading

No items found.