Body Dysmorphic Disorder: a Guide to Identification and Management for the General Dental Practitioner

Throughout the course of our lives, almost all of us have felt dissatisfied with our appearance and tried to improve it. After all, we are hounded by images and messages from all sides telling us that we are not pretty enough or we are not skinny enough. Who wouldn't like a flatter stomach, a more chiselled body, blemish-free skin? If we had the chance to use a magic wand to look better, most of us would. In fact, most of us try on a daily basis. From spending hours in changing rooms ensuring that clothes are as flattering as they can be, going on fad diets, (which just make us miserable) and spending fortunes on the latest moisturising cream promising to knock years off us, we have all tried to alter our image to some degree. However, for some people, these concerns are not just about disliking a body part; they're preoccupied with it. Every waking thought revolves around their perceived flaw and imperfection and their worries about their looks lead to distress and emotional pain, resulting in an interference in their quality of life. They no longer want to go to work for fear that people will notice the slight facial blemishes. They are terrified to go to their high school prom due to concerns that their thinning hair will be noticed. They can't engage in meaningful relationships due to the daily inner voice telling them that their breasts are ‘tiny’. In reality, these supposed flaws are usually not noticeable to those around them, or considered minimal. However, for the sufferer, the problem looks repulsive and abhorrent, magnified by the mind's eye.