A case of coprophagia presenting with sialadenitis

Presentation: a 94-year-old woman with dementia was admitted to an acute ge riatric ward with increasing confusion and falls. On two occasions she deve loped submandibular masses. Faeces were aspirated from her mouth and a diag nosis made of recurrent submandibular sialadenitis secondary to coprophagia . Outcome: the submandibular mass settled with antibiotics and oral care. Cop rophagia was not observed on the ward, but faecal smearing was noted. With regular toileting, this behaviour ceased and sialadenitis did not recur.