Gastrointestinal Tract Disorders in Older Age

Table 1

Oral cavity disease characteristics in older adults.

Xerostomia	(i) One of the most common oral sensorial complaints in elderly; (ii) Associated with age-related alteration in saliva composition; (iii) Most commonly caused by tricyclic antidepressant and anti-Parkinsonian medications
Dysgeusia and ageusia	(i) Commonly due to medication side effects (lithium, metronidazole); (ii) Can result from zinc deficiency or Bell’s palsy
Oropharyngeal dysphagia	(i) Common in elderly secondary to stroke, multiple sclerosis, dementia, Parkinson’s disease; (ii) 50% of nursing home-residents affected; (iii) Most common symptoms include cough with swallowing and nasal regurgitation