Does your dentist know?

I'm wondering how many dentists talk to their patients about bulimia. Are they judgmental?

I told mine about my ED when I first started seeing him 8 yrs ago, but don't remind him, so each visit he asks if I drink a lot of pop or suck on lemons . I imagine it could be very awkward to talk to someone who isn't expecting a therapy session at the dentist, but at the same time, do they have some kind of professional obligation to protect our overall health?

What are you dentist experiences?

Dentally challenged
Bub

Hi Bub! So far this has not come up in my appointments, although it might come up soon as I now have tooth sensitivity and it is possible that something will be noticed about my enamel, etc. I know sometimes dentists will notice the damage because the specific patterns on the teeth are only seen in bulimia, not in eating acidic foods. Many dentists are not familiar with this and that is why they often ask bulimics if they are eating or drinking something acidic. In any case, I would hope that after the initial talk about it, things wouldn't be quite so awkward. I have also heard that dentists generally won't treat extreme damage to teeth until the person has stopped the purging (because damage will only recur so it is best to just wait). Sorry I'm going all over the place here. I'm kind of just typing any related thought that comes to mind since I haven't actually had this experience.

On a slightly related note, have you ever tried the toothpaste Sensodyne Pronamel? I just got some and heard it worked pretty well. I'm not sure if you have it where you are, but I assume you would at least have something similar. It help a lot with hardening enamel and reducing tooth sensitivity.

Now that you mention it, it sounds like something all dentists should ask of all their patients. Not to be your therapist or judgemental about the whole thing, but in order to understand what might be going on in your mouth and provide effective treatment. Good point!

BTW, I have never been to a dentist that asked.

I am a dental hygienist and have seen patients who are bulimic and I have taken the time to discuss this with them. The mouth, body, and mind go hand and hand. It is often very easy to detect if a.) you know what you're looking for and b.) you ask the right questions WITHOUT being judgemental. To be quite honest the dentist I work for is clueless when it comes to this. Maybe, because it hits home for me I'm more observant, but the other full time hygienist in my office appears to be on top of this also. Maybe a new dentist is in order? First and foremost try to get the condition under control with therapy if you haven't already, then there are ways to protect your teeth from damage. I hope this helps, if I can answer any dental needs you have, please feel free to contact me. Kathy

P.S. as dental professionals we have a professional responsibility/obligation to discuss with the patient any conditions we find in their mouths and if that patient is underage we are obligated to discuss it with their parents. Kathy