Many older adults are unable to adjust to dentures or have dentures that do not fit. This often leads to eating softer foods which restricts food intake and can lead to an unbalanced diet. Muscular tone and coordination . Muscular tone and coordination often decreases with aging. This may make swallowing difficult and causes food to move slower through the intestine.
Older adults are primary targets for laxative advertise-ments.
A well-balanced diet with a variety of foods, adequate fiber, liquids, and exercise often help to combat constipation. Stomach acid content . A decrease in the amount of acid in the stomach gastric juice may occur with aging. This causes decreased digestion and a feeling of indigestion. Older adults may be tempted to take baking soda which can further decrease the stomach acid content.