Eating disorders: identification and intervention

Society's preoccupation with outward appearance and thinness has increased the incidence of both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, two potentially threatening diseases. Unfortunately, it is difficult to obtain accurate statistics on these eating disorders. Those with an eating disorder are often unwilling to admit they have this disorder and are reluctant to seek help. Subsequently, eating disorders have become a serious concern for medical and dental professionals. Since dental professionals see patients on a regular basis, he/she may be the person to whom the eating disorder patient confides.1 For the same reason, the oral care provider may be the first to notice oral manifestations of disease in the anoretic or bulimic person.2,3 The dental professional can serve as an important link between the person with an eating disorder and professional therapy. Knowledge of the signs and symptoms for these diseases is important because early diagnosis and treatment can result in more successful therapy.