Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by frequent overeating and subsequent cleansing, which is linked to a number negative health consequences. Eating disorders, such as bulimia nervosa, are considered a leading cause of endocrine metabolic non-inflammatory bilateral parotid swelling. Sialomegaly is characterized by swelling, sometimes accompanied by pain, change in the facial contour, which is one of the most evident signs in bulimia nervosa patients. Around 50% of the patients report parotid gland swelling.
G Russell, Bulimia nervosa: an ominous variant of anorexia nervosa, Psychol Med. 1979 Aug;9(3):429-48. doi: 10.1017/s0033291700031974
Hellström I. Oral complications in anorexia nervosa. Scand J Dent Res. 1977;85:71-86.
Garcia Garcia, B., Dean Ferrer, A., Diaz Jimenez, N., & Alamillos Granados, F. J. (2018). Bilateral Parotid Sialadenosis Associated with Long-Standing Bulimia: A Case Report and Literature Review. Journal of maxillofacial and oral surgery, 17(2), 117–121.
Park KK, Tung RC, de Luzuiaga A. Painful parotid hypertrophy with bulimia: a report of medical management. J Drugs Dermatol 2009;8:577–579.
Lavender S. Vomiting and parotid enlargement. Lancet. 1969;1:426. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(69)91409-3.[PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Mandel L, Abai S. Diagnosing bulimia nervosa with parotid gland swelling. J Am Dent Assoc 2004;135:613–616.
Sato Y, Fukudo S. Gastrointestinal symptoms and disorders in patients with eating disorders. Clin J Gastroenterol. 2015;8:255–63.
Jugale PV, Pramila M, Murthy AK, Rangath S. Oral manifestations of suspected eating disorders among women of 20-25 years in Bangalore City, India. J Health Popul Nutr. 2014;32:46
Oliva CL, Jornet PL, Alonso FC, Salinas JE. Study of oral changes in patients with eating disorders. Int JDent Hyg. 2008;6:119–22.
Ogren FP, Huerter JV, Pearson PH, Antonson CW, Moore GF. Transient salivary gland hypertrophy in bulimics. Laryngoscope. 1987;97:951–953. doi: 10.1288/00005537-198708000-00012. [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Mitchell JE, Hatsukami D, Eckert ED, Pyle RL. Characteristics of 275 patients with bulimia. Am J Psychiatry. 1985;142:482–485. doi: 10.1176/ajp.142.4.482. [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Mandel L, Kaynar A. Bulimia and parotid swelling: a review and case report. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 1992;50:1122–1125. doi: 10.1016/0278-2391(92)90506-U. [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Price C, Schmidt MA, Adam EJ, Lacey H. Parotid gland enlargement in eating disorders: an insensitive sign? Eat Weight Disord. 2008;13:79–83. doi: 10.1007/BF03327509. [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Donath K, Seifert G. Ultrastructural studies of the parotid glands in sialadenosis. Virchows Arch A Pathol Anat Histol 1975; 365:119–135.
Coleman H, Altini M, Nayler S, et al. Sialadenosis: a presenting sign in bulimia. Head Neck 1998; 20:758–762.
Peeters F, Meijboom A. Electrolyte and other blood serum abnormalities in normal weight bulimia nervosa: evidence for sampling bias. Int J Eating Disord 2000;27:358-62.
Mandel, L. (2003). Serum electrolytes in bulimic patients with parotid swellings. Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, and Endodontology, 96(4), 414–419.
Mehler PS. Medical complications of bulimia nervosa and their treatments. Int J Eat Disord. 2011;44:95–104
Mignogna M, Fedele S, Russo L. Anorexia/bulimia – related sialadenosis of palatal minor salivary glands. J Oral Pathol Med. 2004;33:441–2. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0714.2004.00208.x.
Zachariasen R. Oral manifestations of bulimia nervosa. Women Health. 1995;22:67–76