How to Use Oral Health to Detect Bulimia
Chronic vomiting due to bulimia can cause damage to the teeth and inside of the mouth. You can use an oral health examination to detect bulimia.
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Instructions
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Use Oral Health to Detect Bulimia
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Inspect the patient's teeth. They may be stained a dark yellow color from stomach acids. Coffee, cigarette smoke and poor oral hygiene can also contribute to discolored teeth, so this quick test often isn't enough to detect bulimia.
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Gently push the blunt end of a toothpick into the gums at the front of the patient's mouth. Bulimia can make the gums very irritated, so that this light stimulation causes bleeding. Take care not to press too hard, because the patient's gums may be extra sensitive.
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Use a small oral mirror to look at the backs of the patient's front teeth. Typically there is lots of tooth decay around the sides of these teeth.
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Examine any silver fillings that the patient has on his molars and bicuspids. Tooth decay from stomach acid will make these fillings appear to be raised up much higher than normal. The fillings can sometimes look like they are the crests of the teeth.
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Look for swelling inside the mouth, around the tongue and in the cheeks. Stomach acids can cause chronic inflammation in these spots. The saliva glands can be also be irritated, although you can't see them without the aid of medical equipment.
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Find out about the patient's tooth brushing habits and oral health care. Bulimic patients sometimes brush their teeth up to 10 times a day, use mouthwash often and chew gum frequently in an attempt to counteract tooth damage and bad breath. You may want to ask a parent to check on her daughter's brushing habits if she is showing early signs of bulimia.
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Tips & Warnings
The throat of a person with bulimia often appear to be a deeper red color than a normal throat, especially if vomiting has been induced in the past 12 hours.
You can easily use an oral health exam at home to look for signs of bulimia, but be sure to bring your child or friend to a doctor for a full checkup if you see signs of bulimia.
Most dental damage is somewhat fixable, although long-term bulimia can cause irreparable tooth damage.
Very bad dry mouth is a symptom of people who have irritation or damage to their saliva glands as a result of bulimia.
Don't poke at inflamed spots on the tongue or severely swollen gums.
