Bulimia
Dr. Hall-
I have erosion of my enamel on the inside of my
teeth. What's the best treatment for that?
—name undisclosed
Dear visitor-
Loss of enamel on the insides of your teeth is
usually caused by bulimia, otherwise known as binge-purge syndrome.
There can be other causes of frequent vomiting, but in every case where I
saw it, it was bulimia. The acid in
vomit dissolves away the enamel, and this occurs mostly on the inside of
the upper front teeth.
The treatment would be
all-porcelain crowns across the upper
front and possibly in other places.
Read a testimonial about a physician we treated who
had bulimia. If you suffer from this,
getting your teeth fixed can be a part of the healing process. If you're
ready to face up to your disorder, go to a cosmetic dentist, tell him or
her of your problem, and this will help you rise above the self-loathing
that you are probably experiencing.
Dentists can also help patients toward recovery by
lovingly confronting them. The loss of enamel on the inside surfaces of
the upper front teeth is almost always a sign of bulimia, or there could
be an acid reflux problem. Though acid reflux will generally soften the
surfaces of all the teeth. Dentists who are trained to treat this
understand the critical need for confidentiality.
For more information, see Dr. Brian McKay's page
about bulimia and teeth.
—Dr. Hall
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