A major danger of bulimia is loss of all the upper and lower teeth. The acid vomit literally dissolves the tooth enamel and underlying dentin of the teeth. The dental name is called tooth erosion and it predisposes the damaged teeth to bulimia tooth decay. After the protective enamel is dissolved away, the teeth are no longer able to resist quickly wearing away from normal chewing.
It is not uncommon for bulimics to be wearing full dentures in their late twenties.

          An early dental danger of bulimia is the destruction of a patient's smile. The front teeth in the smile are often the first teeth to be destroyed by the stomach acids. Initially the loss of the white enamel increases the appearance of the underlying yellow dentin and the patient's smile darkens. With time the thinning enamel develops a smooth glassy appearance with thin translucent edges. The thinned edges are prone to chipping and normal chewing can cause the teeth to unattractively shorten.

         An often unnoticed danger of bulimia is the enlargement of the lower face. The parotid glands swell and permanently enlarge giving the patient the appearance of having mumps. In some patients, there may be tenderness in the cheeks. Unfortunately, this is one of the bulimia effects that can not easily be reversed without surgery.

         Fortunately, each dental danger of bulimia can be controlled, however, it requires the cooperation of both the dentist and the patient. There are many special dental care options for patients suffering with bulimia. Dr. Mark Allan Padolsky has been caring for bulimics since 1982. He enjoys helping patients with bulimia recover their beautiful smiles and helping them save their teeth for their lifetimes. In you need bulimia help, call 404-874-7428 to schedule your consultation with Dr. Padolsky. It will probably be one of the best decisions you have ever made!