A bulimia tooth looks yellow because most of the protective dental enamel cover has dissolved away. Enamel is the hardest biological material made by animals and easily resists the tremendous forces of chewing. However, enamel can not resist the acid attack when a bulimic purges and covers her teeth with vomit full of hydrochloric acid.

         Enamel is white and dentin is yellow. As the enamel thins from chemical erosion, the underlying yellow dentin is more easily seen and the tooth turns yellow and dark. As the enamel melts away, the tooth loses its normal shape and form. It is common to see raised silver fillings that used to be level with the original biting surfaces. A normal tooth has ridges and grooves but a bulimia tooth is smooth, thinned out and abnormally rounded. Digital photographs of the backs of the upper front teeth clearly show this effect.

         The most common bulimia tooth is one or more of the upper anterior six teeth. These are the teeth that are most important in a beautiful smile. The entire backs of these anterior teeth melt away. Because the soft dentin is exposed, it often quickly wears away and the teeth over erupt and form a deep bite. This often causes TMJ and tooth grinding problems.

         Enamel does not have any living tissue in it but dentin does. There are thousands of tiny nerve endings in dentin so as the protective enamel is dissolved away, these sensitive and tender nerve endings become exposed. A bulimia tooth becomes progressively more and more hot and cold sensitive over time. Dentin has a lot of organic material in it so as it becomes more and more exposed, it is susceptible to bulimia tooth decay.

      Both Dr. Padolsky and Dr. Smith would be honored to care for you. The Atlanta Dental Group PC provides a safe and secure environment to share your problems and obtain needed dental care. We have experience treating out of town patients and necessary dental care can often be intensively performed at our treatment facility without the need to go to different doctors. If you are concerned about this dental bulimia effects and want to consult with Dr. Padolsky, please make an appointment by calling 404-874-7428.