Oral Health and Behavior Patterns of Women with Eating Disorders—A Clinical Pilot Study

Abstract

Background: Chronic stomach regurgitation associated with eating disorders (EDs) poses a high risk for tooth erosion. This study investigated oral health conditions, behavioral patterns, and tooth erosion in women with EDs. Methods: 16 ED and 13 healthy women were enrolled; 14 ED and 10 healthy control subjects completed the study. Subjects completed demographic, medical, oral, and behavioral health history questionnaires. Dental caries status was recorded as Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT)index and the severity of tooth erosion as Basic Erosive Wear Examination (BEWE) scores. Saliva was collected for flow rate, pH, and buffering capacity analysis. Results: The ED group had a lower stimulated saliva flow rate and higher DMFT index but no significant difference in BEWE scores compared to the controls (t-test, significance level 0.05). Five of the fourteen ED subjects exhibited extensive tooth erosion, which may have been exacerbated by their tooth-brushing behavior. Conclusions: Although some ED subjects showed extensive tooth erosion in this pilot study, the average BEWE score of the ED group was not significantly different from the controls. Extensive tooth erosion in ED may relate to the low stimulated salivary flow. A larger-scale clinical study is necessary to validate these results.

Keywords

• behavior
• dental caries
• eating disorders
• saliva
• tooth erosion