Young people with eating disorders in England are on the rise

Eating disorders, such as bulimia, anorexia, and binge-eating, are serious mental health problems that can severely affect the quality of life of children and their families. In the UK, it is estimated that there are 1.25 million people with eating disorders, and a disproportionate number are below the age of 25.

Children and young people with eating disorders often wrestle with other serious conditions such as depression and anxiety that need to be managed simultaneously for the best possible outcome. Left untreated, eating disorders can lead to severe malnutrition, family dysfunction, relationship breakdown and sometimes, tragically, death.

Dental practitioners may be the first clinicians to identify the signs of an eating disorder. Anorexia can result in the gums and soft tissue bleeding easily and salivary glands becoming swollen due to malnutrition. A 2022 Oral Health Foundation report showed, “Around nine in 10 (90 per cent) patients with bulimia and one in five (20 per cent) with anorexia suffer from enamel erosion. Tooth decay, sensitive teeth, dry mouth and enlarged salivary glands are also frequent.”