Eating disorders, including anorexia and bulimia nervosa, are potentially life-threatening syndromes characterized by severe disturbances in eating behavior. An effective treatment strategy for these conditions remains to be established, as patients with eating disorders tend to suffer from multiple relapses. Because ghrelin was originally discovered in the stomach mucosa, it has been widely studied over the past decade in an effort to uncover its potential roles; these studies have shed light on the mechanism by which ghrelin regulates food intake. Thus, studying ghrelin in the context of eating disorders could improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of eating disorders, possibly resulting in a promising new pharmacological treatment strategy for these patients. In addition, early detection and treatment of eating disorders are critical for ensuring recovery of young patients. Oral symptoms, including mucosal, dental, and saliva abnormalities, are typically observed in the early stages of eating disorders. Although oral care is not directly related to the treatment of eating disorders, knowledge of the oral manifestations of eating disorder patients may aid in early detection, resulting in earlier treatment; thus, oral care might contribute to overall patient management and prognosis. Moreover, ghrelin has also been found in saliva, which may be responsible for oral hygiene and digestion-related functions. This review discusses the pharmacological potential of ghrelin in regulating food-intake and the role of saliva and oral care in young patients with eating disorders.

Effective maxillary advance treatment is difficult to achieve without impairing velopharyngeal function in patients with severe maxillary deficiency. We describe successful orthodontic treatment using maxillary anterior segmental distraction osteogenesis (MASDO) in a patient with cleft lip and palate. A 20-year-old woman with bilateral cleft lip and palate, multiple congenitally missing teeth, reduced maxilla, concave soft-tissue profile, and skeletal Class III jaw relationship was treated with a combination of orthodontic treatment and MASDO. After treatment, the anterior maxilla was displaced forward with new bone formation induced in the distraction gap for insertion of dental implants. Maxillary hypoplasia was successfully treated while preserving the velopharyngeal function with MASDO. We suggest that MASDO is useful for patients with severe maxillary hypoplasia.