Contact:
Geoff Schwartz
Franco Public Relations Group
Office: (313) 567-5008
Cell: (989) 501-0482
Schwartz@franco.com

Eating disorders ravage oral health

Dentists can detect the signs and help repair dental damage

Feb. 28, 2007 (Okemos, Mich.) – Those who suffer from eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa (bulimia) and anorexia nervosa (anorexia), are often desperate to hide their condition from friends and family, but dentists are able to recognize the disorders during routine dental exams. By examining the teeth and gums, dentists are in a crucial position to help diagnose the disorders that affect thousands of women and men across the United States.

In conjunction with National Eating Disorders Awareness Week [Feb. 25 through March 3], Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio and Indiana [Delta Dental] is working to raise awareness of the devastating consequences of an eating disorder on a person’s oral health.

“Oral examinations of those suffering from anorexia or bulimia can reveal eroded teeth, fillings that are raised above the tooth surface, dry mouth, missing enamel and other related dental problems,” said Dr. Jed Jacobson, senior vice president of professional services and chief science officer at Delta Dental. “If a person notices these symptoms, we urge them to seek immediate treatment from their dentist. In most cases, dentists can treat the damage to the teeth and gums before the damage is irreparable.”

Bulimia involves binge eating followed by self-induced vomiting. Over time, stomach acid wears down the enamel of the teeth, causing severe tooth decay– especially in the front of the mouth.

Anorexia is characterized by an intense desire to lose weight and a fear of gaining weight. Those who suffer from this disorder are in a constant state of semistarvation, which robs the body of necessary nutrients. A side effect of anorexia is osteoporosis, a weakening of the bones that can lead to tooth loss.

While the root psychological causes of both of these eating disorders must be treated, proper dental treatment can repair the dental damage and serve as a catalyst to the recovery process.

Darlene McVittie of Royal Oak, Mich., has struggled with bulimia for most of her adult life. Her weight has risen above 350 lbs. and plummeted to near-starving levels. Her long bout with the disorder has left her teeth severely damaged and she now faces costly dental treatment.

“I appreciate the work of Delta Dental in raising awareness of eating disorders and the damage they do to teeth and gums,” McVittie said. “My disease has been incredibly harmful to my teeth and it’s good to see an organization work to educate the public on one of the lesser-known effects of eating disorders.”

McVittie runs two eating disorder support groups and now incorporates the dangers of eating disorders on oral health into her programs. For more information on the support groups, contact:

Darlene McVittie
Darlenejoy@mail.com

• Eating disorders affect almost 5 percent of all young women in the United States and 15 percent of young women have unhealthy attitudes about food. 1

• Eating disorders affect men too. Five to 10 percent of people with anorexia or bulimia are male. 1

• Without treatment, up to 20 percent of people with serious eating disorders die. With treatment, less than 3 percent die. 2

• Visible tooth decay is a leading sign of bulimia. 3

For a listing of Delta Dental dentists, visit www.deltadentalmi.com and click dentist search.

Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Tennessee are affiliated members of Renaissance Health Service Corporation, a family of companies that combined is one of the largest dental plan administrators in the nation. In 2006, the enterprise paid more than $1.7 billion for dental care for more than 6.2 million enrollees. Offices are located in Okemos, Farmington Hills, and Grand Rapids, Michigan; Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Nashville, Knoxville, and Memphis, Tennessee.

1 - http://www.girlpower.gov/girlarea/bodywise/eatingdisorders/statistics.htm (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

2 - http://www.anred.com/stats.html

3 - http://jada.ada.org/cgi/reprint/136/8/1130.pdf

Editor’s Note: Both Darlene McVittie and Dr. Jacobson are available for interviews. Please contact Geoff Schwartz at Franco Public Relations Group at (313) 567-5008 or Schwartz@franco.com.