The Orodental Status of Anorexics and Bulimics

This study aims to assess the dental status of anorexics and bulimics by comparison to age-matched controls. One hundred and eight individuals participated, of which 58 had an eating disorder. This group were further subdivided into bulimics who induced vomiting (33), bulimics who did not vomit (7), and anorexics (18). The caries experience (DMFS), plaque levels, gingival inflammation and buffering capacity of saliva were assessed and total vomiting episodes estimated from the product of vomiting frequency and duration. Statistical analysis (one way ANOVA) revealed no significant differences with most of the dental variables between the eating disorder groups and the controls. A linear association (Pearson correlation coefficient) between vomiting frequency, duration or total vomiting episodes and tooth wear was not found, although the frequency of pathological tooth wear is significantly high in the vomiting bulimic group, especially if the total number of vomiting episodes is greater than 1100.