ORAL CHANGES IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH EATING DISORDERS

Numerous oral changes develop as a result of dysfunctional eating behavior in patients with eating disorders (ED). The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation among oral manifestations, age, disease duration and nutritional status in pediatric patients with ED. The study included 50 female ED patients, median age 14 (range 10-18) years and median disease duration 9 (range 1-42) months. Nutritional status was expressed as z-score for body mass index (BMI). Mean BMI z-score was -2.10±1.64. The most commonly observed oral findings were dental plaque, marginal gingivitis, morsicatio, dental calculus, caries, pharyngeal erythema, exfoliative cheilitis and angular cheilitis. Dental plaque and pharyngeal erythema were correlated with shorter disease duration (p=0.048; p=0.040), while frictional keratosis of tongue was correlated with longer disease duration (0.011). Linea alba and pain in the temporomandibular joint were associated with younger age (p=0.012; p=0.024), and tooth impression on tongue with lower degree of nutrition (p=0.030). This study showed that there was a link among oral manifestations, age, disease duration and degree of nutritional disorder, although further investigations comparing the groups of ED patients with different age, disease duration and nutritional status would give better, concrete and precise conclusions.