What causes a crooked mouth in elderly people?

Generally, mouth deviation in the elderly may be caused by bad habits, age-related muscle laxity, facial muscle spasms, trigeminal neuralgia, or idiopathic facial nerve paralysis. Treatment methods such as general management and medication can be adopted under a doctor's guidance. Specific analyses are as follows:

1. Bad Habits

Poor habits such as long-term unilateral chewing, resting the cheek on one's hand, or improper sleeping posture may lead to imbalanced development of facial muscles and bones, thereby causing mouth deviation. It is important to adjust daily living habits accordingly.

2. Muscle Laxity Due to Aging

With advancing age, natural aging of the skin, muscles, and bones occurs. Facial muscles gradually lose elasticity and supportive strength, leading to mouth deviation. Regular facial muscle exercises may help improve this condition.

3. Facial Muscle Spasms

Excessive fatigue, trauma, and other factors may lead to facial muscle spasms. This condition causes abnormal excitation or compression of the facial nerves, resulting in involuntary contractions of facial muscles and thus causing the aforementioned symptoms. It may be accompanied by paroxysmal twitching of facial muscles or eyelid twitching. Medications such as carbamazepine tablets, oxcarbazepine tablets, and baclofen tablets should be used according to medical advice.

4. Trigeminal Neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia may be associated with demyelinating lesions of the trigeminal nerve. This condition damages the trigeminal nerve, often causing pain in the areas of the face innervated by this nerve, which may result in mouth deviation. Symptoms such as tearing and runny nose may also occur. Treatment with medications such as ibuprofen sustained-release capsules, vitamin B1 tablets, and mecobalamin tablets should be conducted under a doctor’s guidance.

5. Idiopathic Facial Nerve Paralysis

Infection, abnormal immune function, trauma, and other factors may trigger this condition. Idiopathic facial nerve paralysis leads to weakness or paralysis of the facial expression muscles, resulting in mouth deviation. It may be accompanied by symptoms such as air leakage while speaking, drooling, and reduced sense of taste. Patients should follow medical advice to use medications such as prednisone acetate tablets, vitamin B12 injection, and citicoline sodium capsules.

Elderly individuals should maintain balanced lifestyle habits, avoid prolonged unilateral strain, and perform appropriate facial muscle exercises regularly to prevent facial problems such as mouth deviation.