Dentists are often the first people to notice that someone has an eating disorder. Those with bulimia, have a noticeable difference in the condition of their teeth and a loss of teeth is not an uncommon occurrence.

Bulimia is an eating disorder where the sufferer overeats and then induces vomiting, by pushing fingers or using an implement such as a toothbrush into the back of the mouth.

Sunita Verma from Sparkle Dental Boutique says “Bulimia can cause very serious dental problems. Gastric acid found in the mouth as a result of vomiting causes the tooth enamel to erode and the teeth can become soft. The gums also start to erode causing fillings to jut out over the gum line. In severe cases, if the condition is left untreated the final outcome could be the complete loss of all teeth.

In terms of dental advice for those suffering from bulimia, you should not brush your teeth immediately after vomiting as this will turn the teeth yellow and will also speed up the tooth decay process. Rinsing the mouth with water is a better option and in addition, chewing gum will also help combat the effects of gastric acid on the teeth.  A fluoride mouthwash and tooth paste is advisable to help reduce tooth decay.

For those who have a huge wearing down of enamel, we can restore these teeth with crowns. A crown strengthens existing, damaged teeth so as to preserve its functionality. Crowns also improve the aesthetics of your smile.”

Sunita says “Bulimia is an illness that in the majority, affects women of all ages. Many patients don’t like to say that they are suffering from bulimia but their dental health reveals a different story. We have an all female team who are sympathetic and caring when seeing patients whose dental health has suffered as a result of bulimia. Fortunately, there is a lot of help available and it is vital that if anyone is suffering from bulimia that they come in to see us, so that we can help to reduce any further damage to the teeth.”

Modern cosmetic restorations like dental implants, crowns and bridges, look and feel just like your own natural teeth. All result in improved appearance and good oral hygiene. How?

• Crowns preserve compromised teeth and combined with bridges, they prevent teeth from drifting. Implants also prevent drifting and they preserve bone tissue. All three procedures are directly responsible for improved self confidence…which will of course keep you smiling!                                 

• A bridge is a combination of crowns and artificial restorations that close a gap left by a missing tooth (or teeth) restoring your smile and redistributing the workload.  Placing a crown on a high risk tooth as early preventive treatment, saves time and money and maybe even your tooth!  

• If you are in good general and oral health, you may be an excellent candidate for dental implants – no matter what your age.

Sunita Verma, Principal from Sparkle Dental Boutique says “When our patients have periodontal (gum) disease, we use dentomycin in conjunction with root planning and scaling treatments, which lead to a marked reduction in bacteria in patients mouths. It has a positive anti-inflammatory action which allows the connective tissues to reattach back to the tooth.” 

Dentomycin is a periodontal gel that effectively reduces pocket depths and bacteria levels while actively promoting periodontal healing. The gel contains an antibiotic well known for its ability to eliminate key periodontal pathogens. 

The Dentomycin gel is delivered directly into the periodontal pocket. It binds to the tooth surface and is released slowly, attacking the bacteria. Clinical studies show that dentomycin treatment reduces the bacteria that cause periodontitis and reduces the depth of treated pockets. These changes indicate an improvement in gum health.