Howat P M, Varner L M, Wampold R L
School of Home Economics, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge 70803-4301.
J Am Diet Assoc. 1990 Aug;90(8):1099-102.
Individuals with bulimia nervosa have been found to experience a variety of dental complications. Because of purging behaviors and erratic food consumption, the oral manifestations of bulimia frequently include irreversible enamel erosion, xerostomia, and oral mucosal irritation. A pilot study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the dental/dietitian team in assessing the dental health of individuals with bulimia. Control and bulimic subjects were compared. The results demonstrated a significantly different (p less than .05) intake of folacin-412 micrograms in controls compared with 207 micrograms in bulimic subjects. Control subjects were found to have significantly greater (p less than .05) amounts of calculus deposits on teeth; however, subjects with bulimia demonstrated a lower (p less than .05) saliva pH. We conclude that the collaborative effort of the dental/dietitian team was useful in the assessment of dental health. The team approach may also help to identify clients with bulimia and facilitate therapy.
