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Minerva Psichiatrica 2003 December;44(4):235-9

Copyright © 2003 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Dental diagnosis of psychological eating disorders

Rusconi A. C., Coccanari de’ Fornari M. A., Bollea E.

In eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, obesity), we find lesions to hard and soft tissues, deu to bad habits, nutritional deficiency and overeating. These lesions are symptoms of the base disease. As a result, the mastication changes, as well as the salivary digestive function during the 3 chewing phases and the formation of food bolus. In these 3 pathologies, which sometimes are combined, lesions are related to enamel thinning, decay, teeth abrasion due to bruxism, gengivitis and periodontal diseases, angular cheilitis, xerostomia, greater salivary glands hypertrophy. Dentist dealing with these diseases should consider that prognosis depends on a psycological recovery in people with eating disorders. Dentists should also study patients' symptoms as a whole.