Background/Aim. Bulimia is in many cases followed by frequent vomiting, which in long term can result in irreversible
loss of dental tissue, most commonly manifested as dental erosion. Frequent purging, xerostomia, lack of oral hygiene and
acidic environment are also suitable for caries development.
The aim of the research was to determine the presence, localization and degree of dental erosion using Basic Erosive Wear
Examination (BEWE) index system, as well as to determine the
Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index in purging
bulimic patients. Methods. The study involved 30 purging bulimic patients and 30 healthy subjects. Used methods were survey (questionnaire) and clinical examination. The clinical examination included intraoral inspection and assessment of dental status using BEWE and DMFT index. Results. On the
bases of conducted research, it has been found that dental erosion are significantly more often present in purging bulimics
compared to the controls (χ2 = 5.963, p < 0.05), that eroded lesions are more severe in the bulimic group (t = 3.925, p < 0.05)
and predominantly located on oral surfaces of the teeth
(χ2 = 10.561, p < 0.05). DMFT index values showed no significant difference between bulimic patients and controls
(t = 0.741, p = 0.461). Conclusion. Dental erosion are often
encountered in patients suffering purging bulimia, especially on
oral surfaces of anterior teeth that come into direct contact
with gastric acid, so many bulimics exhibit high values of erosive tooth wear on mentioned surfaces. DMFT index score did
not show significant differences compared to healthy participants, but due to complexity of carious process further investigation is necessary.
