I am a healthy woman of 76 years old and I do not take any medicines. Unfortunately, I lose a lot of fluid on both sides of my mouth. I have two deep grooves on either side. My fear is that, like my mother, I will have to wear a bib later in life. How can I prevent that?
Female (76)
Joris Bartstra, journalist with medical diploma
There are remedies against the production of too much saliva, but as you say yourself, the problem is in the shape of your mouth. Do you have dentures? This causes the jawbone to become thinner, so that the chin comes closer and closer to the nose, as it were. This causes the lips to fold (especially the upper lip curls inwards). The folds at the corners of the mouth then become too deep, causing moisture to collect. The solution is to ‘raise’ the teeth. If you still have your own teeth, this is not an option. If you have serious problems, you can ask a plastic surgeon if the shape of your mouth can be changed with a minor surgery.
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