NASHVILLE, Tenn., February 9, 2009— Delta Dental of Tennessee wants to call attention to the dangers surrounding eating disorders and the need for early intervention and treatment during National Eating Disorders Awareness Week — Feb. 22 – 28. Eating disorders are a serious healthcare concern and can cause a variety of oral health complications.

As many as 35 million men, women and children suffer from eating disorders in the United States. Dentists are becoming the first line of defense when it comes to spotting eating disorders in patients, according to the Academy of General Dentistry.

“A parent may not recognize a child is anorexic or bulimic, however, through a routine dental checkup, a dentist may spot the oral signs of the disease,” said Dr. Jed Jacobson, D.D.S., M.S., M.P.H., chief science officer at Delta Dental. “Eating disorders have serious implications for oral health and overall health so when dentists see the symptoms of eating disorders we encourage our patients to seek help.”

Bad breath, sensitive teeth and eroded tooth enamel are just a few of the signs that dentists use to determine whether a patient suffers from an eating disorder. Other signs include teeth that are worn and appear almost translucent, mouth sores, dry mouth, cracked lips, bleeding gums, and tender mouth, throat and salivary glands.⁴ Any of these symptoms can alert a dentist to a potential eating disorder.

Eating disorders rob the body of minerals, vitamins, proteins and other nutrients needed for good health and may cause injury to teeth, muscles and major organs.¹ Stomach acids can damage teeth with repeated exposures during purging for those individuals with bulimia nervosa. For those individuals with anorexia nervosa, which is characterized by self-induced starvation and poor nutrition can affect oral health by increasing the risk for periodontal [gum] diseases.

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, studies have found up to 89 percent of bulimic patients have signs of tooth erosion, due to the effects of stomach acid.⁵ Over time, this loss of tooth enamel can be considerable, and the teeth change color, shape and length.

“Delta Dental of Tennessee supports providing appropriate referrals to counselors or clinics for people with signs and symptoms of eating disorders,” said Dr. Jacobson. “We encourage those with eating disorders, or those who are caring for individuals with eating disorders to seek care from a dental professional to restore a healthy mouth.”

To find out more about oral health complications due to eating disorders, contact a Delta Dental dentist. Find a local Delta Dental dentist by visiting http://www.deltadentaltn.com/ and clicking on the “Dentist Search” link.

Delta Dental of Tennessee, with its affiliates in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio and Tennessee, is one of the largest dental plan administrators in the nation. In 2008, the enterprise paid out nearly $2.1 billion for dental care for more than 6.6 million enrollees. Offices are located in Okemos and Farmington Hills, Mich.; Indianapolis and Greenwood, Ind.; Louisville, Ky.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio; and Nashville, Knoxville and Memphis, Tenn.

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¹ Delta Dental Plans Association National Scientific Advisory Committee Library

²American Dental Association, “Oral Health Topics: Eating Disorders” http://www.ada.org/public/topics/eating_disorders.asp

³ National Eating Disorder Information Center, http://www.nedic.ca/knowthefacts/definitions.shtml

⁴Academy of General Dentistry, “How Your Dentist Can Detect an Eating Disorder,” http://www.knowyourteeth.com/infobites/abc/article/?abc=h&iid=346&aid=1236, Oral Health Resources, March 30, 2007; AGD Impact magazine, May 2005

⁵National Eating Disorders Association