EATING DISORDERS: ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE ON A DENTIST’S SAMPLE

Aim. To analyze the knowledge and experiences of dentists with private practice in Sassari district
concerning eating disorders and clinical stomatology manifestations.
Materials and methods. A questioner to investigate dentist’s knowledge and experiences was created
and submitted to a random sample of dentists. The data were collected, into a Microsoft Excel ®
spreadsheet for personal computers Macintosh G4 (Ireland), data were analysed using an analysis
program (Stata SE 10®).
Results. 150 dentists have been enrolled (representative sample). After questionnaires evaluation the
following results were obtained: 80.7% (121) of the participants have a degree in Dentistry and 19.3% (29)
have a degree in Medicine and a Dentistry Master in Science Diploma, 46% (69) were males and, 51%
(81) were females, age range was (25, 62 years with a mean age of, 36.1 yrs), average work experience
was 11.5 years (range 1 to 36 years). More than 90% of participants was able to define as eating disorders
only bulimia and anorexia. 77.3% (116) correctly identified as the western population the most affected
while only 52.7% identified whites as most affected people. 80% of the dentists recognised dental erosion
and abrasion as typical oral manifestations. Only 62% affirm that the saliva PH decreases and 63% don't
recognise parotid gland tumefaction as a clinical sign. Operator experience: 60.7% (91 dentists) had
clinical experience of patients with eating disorders. 43, 9% of them made diagnosis from oral
manifestations. 51.3% (77) were not able to treat these patients and 69.3% (104) were not able to refer
patients to specialized centres for treatment. 119 (79.3%), think that the dental hygienist is a valid
collaborator for the treatment of oral cavity manifestations. Measures of prophylaxis: 16.7% (25) suggests
the fluoride prophylaxis, 21.3% (32) oral hygiene education. Only 1, 3% indicates the use of bicarbonate
to change the saliva pH value, suggested conservative or prosthetic restorations, suggested to use
salivary substitutes or to seal permanent teeth. The difficulty to clinical treat these patients was related to
lack of knowledge for 72% (108) of participants, 36.7% (55) have studied the clinical aspects of this
pathology attending the School of Dentistry; only 24.7% (37) after the degree. 94.7% (142) express the
need for further information and only 2% (3) had sufficient clinical knowledge.
Conclusions. It is evident a lack of knowledge of the problem and seems to be urgent to provide more
training programs to establish guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders among
dentists. In our opinion the acquisition of such knowledge will better change the approach to these
pathology improving clinical skills and subsequently diagnosis and treatment.