Eating Disorders Awareness Week
Alberta College of Dental Hygienists
February 1 to 7, 2021 is Eating Disorders Awareness Week in Canada.
Eating disorders can be manifested in several ways. Current diagnostic categories include anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and other specified or unspecified feeding or eating disorders, selective eating disorder (SED) or avoidant and restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), chewing and spitting disorder, and pica.
As some eating disorders result in oral health symptoms or problems, dental hygienists are often the first healthcare professionals to observe the signs of disordered eating habits. Are you prepared to address these observations with an affected client? The National Eating Disorders Association produced a handout for dental hygienists and dentists as well as a bulletin, Dental Problems Associated with Disordered Eating, that may assist you.
In Alberta, the Eating Disorder Support Network of Alberta, in addition to providing information, can provide support for people with Eating Disorders/Disordered Eating as well as their parents, partners and loved ones.
For more information about Eating Disorders Awareness Week visit the National Eating Disorder Information Centre website