Polypharmacy is common in geriatric patients, which can cause a multitude of symptoms.
Xerostomia is amongst the most common, commonly linked to antidepressants, psycholeptics, inhaled medications such as Salbutamol and the slight degeneration of salivary gland function with aging.
Chronic dry mouth is prevalent in a high proportion of the elderly population, affecting roughly one fifth of the group.
There has been a link between dry mouth and comorbid diseases including diabetes, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease  Additionally, xerostomia can arise from general dehydration.
A dry mouth can be associated with caries, cracked lips, fissured tongue and oral mucositis.
It can impact heavily on the patient’s quality of life, affecting taste, speaking, enjoyment and ingestion of food, and fitting dentures.
Polypharmacy is common in geriatric patients, which can cause a multitude of symptoms. Xerostomia is amongst the most common, commonly linked to antidepressants, psycholeptics, inhaled medications such as Salbutamol and the slight degeneration of salivary gland function with aging. Chronic dry mouth is prevalent in a high proportion of the elderly population, affecting roughly one fifth of the group. There has been a link between dry mouth and comorbid diseases including diabetes, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease  Additionally, xerostomia can arise from general dehydration. A dry mouth can be associated with caries, cracked lips, fissured tongue and oral mucositis. It can impact heavily on the patient’s quality of life, affecting taste, speaking, enjoyment and ingestion of food, and fitting dentures.
Geriatric dentistry