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Dry mouth, a common yet frequently overlooked adverse effect of medications, is a risk factor for dental problems that contribute to poor nutrition and frailty in older adults. To further evaluate these relationships, researchers in Norway conducted a cross-sectional study among 382 older adults (average age, 84).
About 30% of patients reported frequently experiencing dry mouth, but nearly double that (55%) had evidence of it on oral examination.
Patients were taking an average of three medications known to cause dry mouth (e.g., anticholinergics, antihypertensives, and opioids), and such medication use was associated with higher odds of subjective dry mouth.
When patients were stratified into three groups based on their frai…