What are the effects of Bulimia on a person's teeth?

Bulimics can experience acid erosion due to the acidic environment that their habit creates in the mouth. This often leads to thinning and stripping off of their of their teeth's enamel. This is more prevalent on the lingual or palatal aspect of their teeth since that is the surface of the teeth that is bathed in acid from their repeated regurgitation of meals. Some patients notice that their teeth are becoming thin and more translucent toward the edges.

People suffering from bulimia can also experience an inceased incidence of tooth decay due to the acidic breakdown and demineralization of the enamel. Often the fillings that I place to repair their decay are glass ionomer based, since they offer a high release of fluoride to help prevent recurrent decay of these restorations.