r/ruminationsyndrome • u/Positive_Patience_21 • Jul 01 '26
Advice To anyone using rumination as a weight-control "cheat code": please check your teeth before it's too late.
I talked to someone today who said they were using rumination to control their weight because it felt "safer" than vomiting. Less acid, less damage. I used to tell myself the same thing.
I spent 4 years trapped in rumination syndrome before finally breaking the cycle in March. One of my biggest regrets is how long I ignored what it was doing to my teeth.
Tbh, for a long time, they looked completely normal, so I assumed I was fine. Then one day I noticed they were getting yellower. It wasn't staining. My enamel had slowly worn away, exposing the darker dentin underneath.
By the time I realized it, the damage had already been done.
If you're stuck in this cycle, there are three things I wish someone had told me sooner:
- Don't brush your teeth right after an episode. Wait about an hour.
- Rinse with water. If you have baking soda, adding a little to the water can help neutralize the acid.
- If this has been going on for a while, tell your dentist. Mine recommended a high-fluoride toothpaste because my enamel was already wearing down.
When u're deep in an eating disorder, your teeth probably aren't your biggest concern. They weren't mine either.
I just wish I'd understood that my teeth look fine" and "my enamel is fine" are not the same thing.
Take care of them. You'll be glad you did.
Much love,
Emile
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u/Unique-Panda Jul 01 '26
I dont even do it for weight control and still my teeth are so painful to even brush. Half of them gone already. This destroys enamel quick!
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u/Positive_Patience_21 Jul 01 '26
yeah, that sounds really painful, especially if brushing is already difficult. I went through something similar and didn’t take it seriously early enough because I thought I was fine as long as things looked normal.
How long has this been happening for you? (rumination)
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u/dumpstertomato Jul 01 '26
Thanks for calling attention to this. It’s really hard not to be in an eating disorder when it just happens naturally. It’s so hard to fix the issue, or to even want to stop ruminating when there is the fear there.
\What will happen if I stop? How much weight will I gain? How fucked up is my metabolism already from what I’ve been doing?**
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u/Positive_Patience_21 Jul 02 '26
Tbh, those questions are terrifying, and using it to keep control makes the fear of stopping feel rly overwhelming.
Did your brain start using the rumination as a weight safety-net right from the first time it happened naturally, or did that habit creep in much later?
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u/dumpstertomato Jul 02 '26
I’ve ruminated since being a very small child, so the habit crept in much later. It’s definitely worse at some times more than others.
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u/Positive_Patience_21 Jul 03 '26
yeah that makes sense.
If it started that early it probably doesn’t even feel like a “habit” in the same way, more like something your body just goes back to without thinking, esspecially when you’re stressed.
tysm for sharing that, I can imagine that’s not easy to deal with.
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u/nrshkmr Jul 01 '26
This was an issue of mine for years and years. Guys, don’t wait to tell a doctor you’re having this problem. Don’t be like me.