home Endocrinology Excessive drooling in a person. Increased salivation: causes. Folk remedies for normalizing increased salivation

Excessive drooling in a person. Increased salivation: causes. Folk remedies for normalizing increased salivation

Saliva plays a vital role in our body. First of all, it ensures comfortable swallowing of food and its initial digestion. In addition, saliva has bactericidal properties and can destroy infection in our mouth. But it happens that a person’s salivation increases. This causes considerable discomfort and can be a symptom of certain diseases. We will take a detailed look at why excessive salivation occurs, how to deal with it, and what preventative measures will help avoid such a problem. In addition, we will study traditional methods of treatment.

It is the secretion of saliva that ensures proper digestion of food in the future. In addition, thanks to it, a food lump is formed in the mouth, which is easy and convenient to swallow. But why does it happen that a person experiences increased salivation? Both adults and children suffer from this problem. We will first consider the causes of this pathology in adults.

If you try to find out why a person has excessive salivation, the reasons can be completely different. For an adult, this is always discomfort. After all, in our daily lives we constantly communicate with many people. At work, at home and on vacation, we want to make the most pleasant impression possible. And with increased salivation, a person is forced to avoid communication. It seems to him that everyone around him notices his shortcomings. Because of this, self-esteem may even decrease and depression may begin. Such a person is constantly in tension, because he wants to hide his problem from others as much as possible. Increased salivation is due to the fact that the secretion of the salivary glands increases. In fact, we have three pairs of salivary glands in our mouth. The main task of each of them is to produce a sufficient amount of saliva. In addition, there are small ducts in the oral cavity. They deliver saliva from the glands to the oral cavity. If saliva production increases, the person is forced to either constantly spit or swallow. Agree, both of them don’t look very attractive. In addition, a person who has increased secretion of the salivary glands feels awkward during a conversation, and also cannot swallow food properly.

In medicine, this phenomenon has a special term - hypersalivation. Increased salivation in adulthood is always associated with some pathology. Very often, various diseases of the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract lead to the production of more saliva than necessary. This pathology can be caused by taking certain medications, eating too spicy or hot food, and much more. It is always important to establish for what exact reason hypersalivation occurs. Then the doctor will be able to quickly and effectively treat the patient.

You can easily notice on your own that salivation has increased. The following signs indicate this:

A person becomes irritated by the fact that there is too much saliva in the mouth.
He has an irresistible urge to spit or swallow it.
During a conversation, he experiences discomfort; a large amount of liquid in the mouth interferes with normal articulation.
A typical symptom is hypersalivation at night, during sleep. At this time, the person is unconscious. He does not control his actions, so saliva even begins to flow out of his mouth. In the morning he discovers an unpleasant surprise - the pillow turns out to be wet. The degree of discharge may vary. There may be individual drips or even entire wet areas on the pillow.

The most common causes of persistent hypersalivation in adults are:

How to deal with it

If hypersalivation in adults is not associated with pregnancy, then it is always a pathological process. It requires in-depth diagnosis and treatment. Only a specialist can identify the reason for increased secretion of saliva. Therefore, you should not try to self-medicate or simply ignore this condition. It is better to immediately go to see a doctor as soon as you are unpleasantly surprised by increased salivation. Unfortunately, hypersalivation can be a symptom of very dangerous diseases and even cancer. This may be a sign of incipient Parkinson's disease, serious endocrine diseases, or circulatory disorders in the brain. It is very important to start treatment as soon as possible, then the destructive effect on the body will be minimal.

It also happens that, despite serious diagnostics, no pathologies or obvious reasons for hypersalivation have been identified. In such cases, you should try to reduce increased salivation using simple methods:

From your diet you should exclude salty, spicy, hot foods, as well as all foods that can irritate the oral mucosa.
If you smoke, then it’s time to start fighting this extremely bad habit. Stop smoking and drinking too much alcohol. It is worth fighting other bad habits, for example, the habit of chewing gum for a long time or gnawing on seeds.
If you are taking medications and notice that your salivation has increased, you may want to try reducing your dose. But this should be decided solely by the doctor.
It is useful to rinse your mouth with a decoction of sage, chamomile, and oak bark. This is not only beneficial for the gums and oral cavity, but also normalizes the functioning of the salivary glands.
You can take a decoction of St. John's wort or nettle internally. The main thing is that you are not allergic to these plants.
Drink quince juice.
You can drink a mild sedative, for example valerian, peony tincture, motherwort.

Hypersalivation in children

Increased salivation in children is not uncommon. It can be triggered by completely different reasons:

Organic disorders, for example, damage to the central nervous system.
Congenital diseases, for example, cerebral palsy.
Brain tumors.
Psychological pathologies.
Use of medications.
Concussion or brain injury.
Viral diseases.
Stomatitis.
Poisoning.
Gastrointestinal diseases.
Worms.

In infants, increased salivation is normal. It is due to the fact that their salivary glands are formed only by the second or third month of life. When this happens, your baby may initially be unable to cope with the increased saliva production. But over time, he gets used to swallowing it, and the drooling stops. Also, hypersalivation very often accompanies the process of erupting the first teeth. Therefore, if at three or four months you notice that the child has become irritable, restless, constantly dragging everything that comes to hand into his mouth, and a lot of saliva is flowing from his mouth, then you most likely have no reason to worry - it’s time for appearance of the first teeth.

Hypersalivation can also occur when some irritating substance gets into the child’s mouth. Viral diseases can also lead to increased salivation. Stomatitis can also cause hypersalivation. The fact is that stomatitis often occurs because an infection accumulates in the mouth, and saliva can slightly suppress its reproduction. Therefore, the body includes a kind of protection against harmful microorganisms in the form of excess saliva.

But there may also be more serious reasons, such as poisoning with heavy metals, particularly lead. This may also be a symptom that the child is developing a gastrointestinal disease - enteritis, gastritis, hepatitis, or has become infected with worms.

In some cases, false hypersalivation is observed. This means that the child actually produces a completely normal amount of saliva, but for some reason he does not swallow it. Then an excess of it accumulates in the mouth. Sometimes an inflammatory process (angina) or paralysis of the pharynx leads to impaired swallowing.

As you can see, there are a great many reasons for hypersalivation. There are quite harmless ones, but there are also dangerous pathologies that can threaten health and even life. As soon as you notice that your child’s secretion of saliva has increased or for some reason he does not swallow it, you should immediately go to the doctor.

But in infants and children from one to two years old, the most common cause of hypersalivation is that teeth are cutting or stomatitis is developing. Moreover, there can be a great variety of stomatitis. By their nature, they can be infectious diseases or they can be provoked by mechanical or chemical damage to the oral mucosa. If these two reasons are excluded, then a more thorough diagnosis should be carried out. It is important to rule out more serious health problems, such as a brain tumor or congenital abnormality.

Do not underestimate the harm that hypersalivation can cause to a child’s fragile body. Firstly, because of this, the digestion process may be disrupted, and in adulthood the child may have problems pronouncing sounds. This phenomenon is called dysarthria. With this pathology, a large amount of saliva prevents the child from pronouncing and mastering words. Because of this, speech may be slurred. It is more difficult for such children to develop, and the process of their socialization may be difficult.

In very young children, salivation is an unconditioned reflex. With age, when the child develops higher nervous activity to a greater extent, psychological aspects can become the cause of hypersalivation. Frequent emotional experiences and severe nervous shocks can lead to increased saliva secretion. Even positive but strong emotions can be an unexpected cause of increased salivation. For example, if a child is looking forward to being given something that he thinks is very tasty. And negative emotions can also be to blame. This is why it is so important to take care of the child’s emotional peace. Remember that you need to protect not only his physical health, but also his psychological balance.

How to help your child

Now let’s take a closer look at how to deal with hypersalivation in a child. By the way, did you know that with normal secretion, a person produces about 2.5 liters of saliva per day? But what to do if you notice that your child’s salivation has clearly increased. It is important to understand the specific reason. If the reason is that teeth are being cut, you should calm down and take a wait-and-see attitude. In this case, no treatment will be needed. You just need to wait until the teeth erupt and saliva flow returns to normal.

But what if it turns out that the cause of hypersalivation was a certain inflammatory disease? Often the cause may be, for example, ulcerative stomatitis. It is caused by various viruses and bacteria. In response to the onset of inflammation, the body turns on the defense mechanism and secretes more saliva. But this does not mean that you need to leave the body alone with the disease. It is important to support him with competent therapy in a timely manner. All medications must be prescribed exclusively by a doctor. If treatment is neglected, the infection can affect the salivary glands themselves, and this can seriously threaten the health of the baby. Such diseases should be treated by a dentist or pediatrician. As soon as the source of inflammation is eliminated, salivation should return to normal.

Another reason is helminth infection. This is a very typical problem for children, as they are guilty of putting everything into their mouths. This could be dirty hands, toys, garbage, and even shoes. It is not surprising that from time to time their body is attacked by multiplied helminths. If you begin to suspect that this is the reason, you should contact your pediatrician. He will direct you to take the necessary tests and, based on their results, prescribe therapy.

Hypersalivation also occurs with infections of the ears, upper respiratory tract, diseases of the endocrine and digestive systems, allergies, etc.

Sometimes the cause may be a dysfunction of the central nervous system. Only an experienced pediatric neurologist and competent drug therapy can help here. Poisoning with iodine, mercury, and pesticides should not be ruled out. In this case, it is important to immediately call an ambulance.

Along with medications, traditional medicine can also help with high salivation. A decoction has long been used:

horsetail;
nettle;
St. John's wort;
calendula;
black elderberry.

It is also useful to rinse your mouth:

sage decoction;
cabbage brine;
a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

But do not forget that folk remedies cannot be used independently. This is only an addition to the treatment prescribed by the doctor. By the way, it would not be superfluous to consult a doctor regarding traditional recipes, because many of them can provoke adverse reactions or allergies in the baby.

Heavy salivation can and should be treated. Remember that both your health and the well-being of your baby are in your hands!

Increased salivation in adults can become a source of constant discomfort and tension. An increase in the secretion of the salivary glands leads to the need to constantly swallow or spit saliva, to the inability to speak normally and swallow food.

Causes of hypersalivation in adults

Hypersalivation or increased salivation in adults is always a pathology. An increase in the amount of saliva can be caused by diseases of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, taking certain medications and other reasons. It is not difficult to notice a violation of salivation on your own: the accumulation of saliva in the mouth irritates the patient, makes the patient want to spit it out or swallow it, and also interferes with talking. Another symptom characteristic of increased salivation is nocturnal hypersalivation; during sleep, when a person does not control himself, saliva flows freely from the mouth and streaks or wet marks remain on the patient’s pillow.

Persistent hypersalivation in adults most often occurs due to the following reasons:

1. Irritation of the mucous membrane due to inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity– stomatitis, gingivitis, tonsillitis and other diseases in which the oral mucosa becomes inflamed, often accompanied by profuse salivation, which occurs due to bacteria that have entered the channels of the salivary glands and caused their inflammation;

2. Digestive disorders– increased acidity of gastric juice, inflammation and irritation of the gastric mucosa can cause a reflex increase in salivation and constant moderate hypersalivation. With such diseases, increased salivation develops gradually and the patient gets used to the increased amount of saliva, not paying attention to the inconveniences associated with this condition;

3. Foreign bodies in the oral cavity– incorrectly installed dentures, braces, chewing gum and any other objects that irritate the nerve endings in the oral mucosa can cause reflex salivation;

4. Inflammation of the salivary glands or mumps– an infectious disease characterized by inflammation of the salivary glands. Inflammation of the parotid salivary glands causes the patient's face and neck to swell and increase in size, which is why the disease is called “mumps”;

5. Neurological disorders– Irritation of the vagus nerve or damage to the central nervous system, which occurs with Parkinson's disease, trigeminal inflammation, head injuries, cerebral palsy and some mental illnesses, leads to an increase in the amount of saliva produced and a loss of control over salivation. Patients with central nervous system diseases may not pay attention to drooling and be unable to control it;

6. Endocrine diseases– Hormonal imbalance in the body can cause increased secretion of the salivary glands. Increased salivation occurs in people with thyroid pathology, inflammation or tumor of the pancreas, or diabetes;

7. Taking medications– taking some medications can cause increased salivation, such a side effect is typical for pilocarpine, nitrazepam, muscarine, physostigmine, cardiac glycosides with digitalis alkaloids and some others;

Recipe for the occasion::

8. Smoking– active smokers often face a similar problem, due to irritation by nicotine and high temperature of the oral mucosa, the salivary glands reflexively begin to produce more secretion;

9. Pregnancy– increased salivation is often found in pregnant women. Heartburn, toxicosis and changes in hormonal balance in the body often lead to increased hypersalivation, which during this period is not considered pathological.

How to deal with increased salivation

Regular hypersalivation in adults, not associated with pregnancy, is always a pathology, the cause of which can only be found by a specialist. You should not delay visiting a doctor if salivation increases; sometimes this condition is the first symptom of dangerous diseases such as Parkinson's disease, cerebrovascular accident or endocrine pathologies.

Sometimes there is an increased secretion of saliva that is not associated with food intake. This symptom should be taken carefully; it may indicate serious problems in the body. The norms of salivation and possible diseases associated with the abundance of secreted fluid will be discussed in the article.

Salivation norms

Average salivation rate: 2 ml of fluid per 10 minutes.

Hypersalivation causes a lot of inconvenience to a person, reduces the quality of life, and provokes various complications. But how can you tell if fluid is being released in excessive amounts? To do this, it is enough to familiarize yourself with the standard indicators.

In healthy people, the salivary glands secrete about 2 ml of fluid in 10 minutes., and it does not flow out of the mouth. Any pathologies and irritants provoke the reproduction of saliva, which is noticed by increased swallowing and the desire to spit out the contents of the oral cavity.

You should contact a specialist immediately if, in addition to intense salivation, other symptoms are noted: nausea, sore throat, heartburn. Changes in the color and smell of saliva should also alert you. In a healthy person, the liquid is clear and without a characteristic odor. In some diseases, saliva becomes cloudy and foul-smelling.

Natural processes include the following cases of excessive saliva production:

teething in babies;
changes in hormonal levels in adolescents and women after 40 years of age;
while carrying a child;
when wearing dentures and decor;
while eating.

Symptoms of increased salivation

Nausea is one of the common accompanying symptoms of hypersalivation.

Hypersalivation is often accompanied by additional symptoms:

feeling of nausea;
heartburn, belching;
difficulty and pain when swallowing food;
temperature increase;
general physical weakness;
signs of intoxication;
changes in the functioning of taste buds.

There is also a decrease in human activity, a deterioration in the psycho-emotional background due to discomfort associated with intense saliva production. With excessive salivation and sore throat, redness is visible, which indicates the development of an inflammatory process.

Hypersalivation is manifested in particular by drool appearing in the corners of the mouth. At night, salivary fluid leaks onto the pillow.

Due to the constant exposure to moisture on the skin around the mouth, redness and a small rash from irritation form.

Causes for women and men

The causes of increased salivation in women and men can be illness, poisoning or lack of vitamins.

There are quite a lot of factors that stimulate the intensive work of the salivary glands. Among the main ones are:

gastrointestinal diseases (ulcers, pancreatitis, gastritis);
angina;
intoxication;
side effect from taking medications;
stress;
diseases of the central nervous system;
worms (cestodes, nematodes, trematodes);
vascular pathologies;
endocrine/infectious diseases;
bad habits;
menopause;
removal of a tooth;
foreign bodies (prostheses, braces, piercings, etc.).

Hypersalivation is observed in patients who do not control their behavior, infected with rabies and epidemic encephalitis. Sometimes excessive salivation is associated with a lack of nicotinic acid in the body.

Increased salivation is one of the symptoms of chemical poisoning (bromine, mercury, iodine, tin, copper).

Causes of excessive salivation in children

In children, increased drooling is most often accompanied by teething.

In newborns aged 3-12 months, excessive salivation is considered a natural phenomenon associated with teething, and therefore does not cause concern.

Hypersalivation in infancy may also indicate the presence of a viral infection or disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

The normal discharge rate is 2 ml per 10 minutes. In other cases, increased salivation indicates a pathology occurring in the body. You can't do it without qualified help.

Reference! Increased saliva production in children may indicate complications after a head injury, the presence of helminths in the body, or signal a concussion.

Toxicosis is often accompanied by hypersalivation.

In adolescence, intense secretion and swallowing of saliva may indicate the following disorders:

changes in hormonal levels due to the process of puberty;
malocclusion;
gastrointestinal problems;
kidney dysfunction;
destabilization of the psycho-emotional background due to stress or psychological trauma;
heart diseases.

Pregnant women often develop toxicosis, which affects the functioning of the brain center. This provokes copious secretion of saliva. Heartburn and nausea are also considered predisposing factors. Intense salivation can be eliminated with a specially designed diet enriched with beneficial vitamins and minerals.

In older people, intense salivation is often associated with the following reasons:

dysfunction of the thyroid gland;
problems with the endocrine system;
side effect after taking medications;
due to malocclusion or pathologies of the lower jaw.

Only a specialist can determine the cause of excessive saliva production.

Kinds

Hypersalivation– the phenomenon of copious secretion of salivary fluid, according to the classification, can be true or false. There are also several varieties of ptyalism.

Types of hypersalivation
Name	Description
True	Intensive work of the salivary glands under the influence of one of the etiological factors.
	The reason for the abundant production of saliva lies in the disruption of the process of swallowing it. This happens for a number of reasons: disorders in the brain; when the facial muscles are atrophied; when you lose the ability to close your mouth; if the lips are damaged as a result of injury or illness (tuberculosis).
Night	The main provocateurs of increased salivation are worms and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.
Constant	Excessive salivation occurs for several reasons: due to inflammation and irritation of the oral mucosa; in case of digestive disorders; with mumps or inflammation of the salivary glands; due to a foreign body in the mouth.

True hypersalivation is conventionally divided into several types:

bulbar and pseudobulbar– manifests itself in cerebral vascular pathology, poliomyelitis, neurodegenerative diseases;
medicinal– a symptom of increased salivation is a side effect of medications taken;
somatic– observed with toxicosis in pregnant women, helminthiasis, ulcerative stomatitis, radiation therapy, oncology;
psychogenic– abundant production of saliva appears under the influence of traumatic factors.

Associated symptoms and what they mean

Increased salivation and thirst can be symptoms of diabetes.

Diagnosis is carried out taking into account associated factors, which, in combination with hypersalivation, indicate a specific problem.

Excessive production of salivary fluid with constant nausea indicates problems in the digestive system or pregnancy. When the cause is eliminated, the functionality of the glands is quickly restored.

In combination with thirst, increased salivation indicates the likelihood of developing diabetes. Problems in the larynx (severe tonsillitis, sore throat) are also possible.

The feeling of a lump in the throat with intense saliva production signals inflammation occurring in the larynx. Sometimes a lump in the throat prevents you from swallowing liquid, causing pain. Most often, the cause lies in the following diseases: sore throat, stomatitis, purulent tonsillitis, abscess. If the symptom of increased salivation is complemented by an increase in body temperature, fever, and swollen lymph nodes, you should not hesitate. Delaying treatment allows complications to develop that threaten the patient’s life.

Also, a lump in the throat with strong salivation is felt with obstruction of the esophagus and volvulus. In this case, nausea and pain in the abdominal cavity are noted.

The sudden appearance of intense salivation may indicate hormonal fluctuations and deterioration of psycho-emotional mood. This sign expresses the body’s response to stress and fatigue.

Diagnostics

To identify the cause of the disease, start with an appointment with a therapist.

During the diagnostic process, a number of studies are carried out:

examination of the patient;
identifying associated symptoms;
familiarization with hereditary factors;
functional analysis, which makes it possible to determine the amount of saliva secreted.

Reference! After establishing a preliminary diagnosis, a highly specialized specialist conducts more thorough laboratory tests (blood, urine, stool tests, ultrasound, etc.).

Treatment

After the examination, the doctor will determine the optimal treatment regimen for you. Don't try to do this yourself!

The development of a treatment regimen for hypersalivation largely depends on the provoking factors. The main therapy is aimed at eliminating the causes of excessive salivation. The following methods are used to combat symptoms.

Exercise therapy and facial massage are prescribed for neuralgia.
Cryotherapy is a cold treatment that stimulates swallowing reflexes.
Special anticholinergic agents that reduce the degree of salivary secretion (Scopolamine, Tifen, Metacin, Riabal, Spasmolitin, Tropin, etc.).
Carrying out the irradiation procedure.
Injections whose active drugs reduce saliva production.
Removal of glands.

Traditional treatment can be supplemented with home recipes, which involve repeated mouth rinsing with infusions and decoctions of medicinal plants (chamomile, calendula, oak bark, etc.).

The treatment regimen is selected taking into account the main problem. To suppress excessive salivation, various means are used:

special medications (only in emergency cases);
cryotherapy;
facial massage and gymnastics;
sanitation of the oral cavity.

Possible complications

If complications develop, it may be necessary to remove the salivary glands.

Increased salivation indicates problems in the body that require immediate solutions. Ignoring a symptom leads to various complications:

dehydration;
development of infections in the mouth and upper respiratory tract;
transition of the disease to a chronic form;
jade;
myocarditis;
disruption of the digestive system;
insomnia, destabilization of the psycho-emotional background.

Often, copious secretion of saliva is observed in serious diseases, which, in the absence of drug treatment, provoke complications in the functioning of internal organs and the cardiovascular system.

Complications can also develop during treatment, when using radiation and surgery to remove glands. In such cases, the risk of facial asymmetry and facial nerve dysfunction increases.

Preventive measures

Don't ignore regular dental checkups!

In order to prevent pathologies that provoke increased salivation, it is recommended to follow the following rules:

perform hygiene procedures in a timely manner, including the oral cavity;
once every six months, undergo a preventive examination at the dentist, have your teeth professionally cleaned;
review your diet, use more fresh vegetables and fruits to enrich the body with vitamins and microelements (you should give up salty, smoked and fatty foods);
lead an active lifestyle, relax in nature, visit fitness centers;
to refuse from bad habits.

If excessive salivation is a symptom of any disease, you need to undergo medication prescribed by your doctor. Eliminating the problem in this case depends on complete recovery.

If salivation increases, you should immediately seek qualified help. It is easier to eliminate any problem if you start treatment at the initial stage.

Hypersalivation is a pathological condition characterized by increased secretion of the salivary glands. So, in children under six months of age this is considered normal and does not require any special treatment. On the other hand, hypersalivation in adults is a rather serious disease, which not only worsens the quality of life, but also brings discomfort. In this article we will look at this pathology in more detail.

general information

Salivation is known to be a normal process. Thus, approximately 2 mg of saliva is released every 10 minutes. However, in some cases, so-called hypersalivation may occur.

This pathology is popularly known as increased salivation. The causes in adults can be very different, ranging from oral diseases to serious neurological disorders.

It is also important to note that some patients perceive a normal amount of saliva as increased. Most often this occurs due to impaired swallowing function. In this case, a person simply cannot swallow saliva completely, and it constantly accumulates in the oral cavity. In fact, there is no need to talk about serious pathology here. Doctors call this hypersalivation false.

Primary symptoms

Saliva is constantly produced by special glands. The therapeutic norm is the production of liquid in the amount of 2 ml in approximately ten minutes. in adults it can only be alarming when volumes exceed the 5 ml mark. In this case, there is too much liquid in the mouth, so there is a reflexive desire to swallow it.

Quite often, doctors associate this kind of problem with an inflammatory process in the oral cavity and various injuries to the tongue. In this case, the feeling of an abundance of fluid is false, since salivation is within normal limits.

The same sensations, not justified by dysfunction of the glands in the oral cavity, can occur in patients suffering not from neurological or dental problems, but susceptible to so-called obsessive states.

Quite rarely, hypersalivation is accompanied by a change in taste sensations (too strong or weak sensitivity). Some patients experience increased salivation and nausea at the same time.

Why does this pathology occur?

In a healthy person, saliva is secreted as a response to the aroma of food; it also has nerve endings on the oral mucosa. Maximum irritation causes, accordingly, profuse salivation. For example, the more pleasant the smell, the faster your appetite flares up. The gastrointestinal tract thus communicates that it is ready to “work.”

Types of disease

Drug hypersalivation. Most medications (for example, Nitrazepam) that affect salivation provoke the development of xerostomia.
A psychogenic type of disease, which also entails increased salivation. The reasons for the development of this pathology in adults remain unknown. Sometimes drooling becomes so profuse that patients have to constantly carry a handkerchief with them.
Hypersalivation with bulbar or Saliva is usually thick, and its volume can be up to 900 ml per day.
Excessive drooling in patients with cerebral palsy is explained by dysfunction of the oral muscles.

Increased salivation during pregnancy

As you know, a woman’s body undergoes various changes during pregnancy, including at the hormonal level. According to experts, it is in the early stages that many women notice the primary signs of hypersalivation.

Most often, this problem accompanies toxicosis. It is important to note that in some cases, hypersalivation is not associated with actual activation of the salivary glands. The thing is that a woman is constantly trying to suppress attacks of nausea and vomiting, thereby she begins to involuntarily swallow less often. As a result, there is a feeling that there is actually more saliva than there should be.

Often, increased salivation during pregnancy is somewhat aggravated by attacks of heartburn. In this case, the body conditionally receives a signal to soften the acid with saliva, which, due to its high bicarbonate content, is classified as an alkaline environment.

Sometimes hypersalivation occurs due to the same factors as in ordinary adults. In this kind of situation, pregnant women are advised to inform their doctor about this in order to rule out obvious causes of the problem.

Severe nocturnal hypersalivation

During sleep, as is known, the work of the glands responsible for the production of saliva slows down somewhat. However, it also happens that the secret begins to be produced before the person finally wakes up. All this entails spontaneous drainage of liquid from the mouth of a sleeping person.

If such cases are rare, then there is no reason to worry. However, regular recurrence of this problem requires consultation with a specialist.

Doctors note that in some cases, during sleep, the body loses control over reflexes. This also leads to increased salivation.

Hypersalivation can occur due to certain diseases that cause nasal congestion (ARVI, influenza). As a rule, increased salivation disappears after the final disappearance of the main cause - difficulty breathing.

Diagnostic measures

Diagnostics in this case involves the following steps:

Collecting a complete medical history (when the primary symptoms appeared, the presence of concomitant diseases, etc.).
Life activity analysis. The thing is that the hereditary factor often plays a primary role in the occurrence of such a pathology as increased salivation. The causes in adults often lie in the abuse of bad habits (for example, smoking).
A detailed examination of the oral cavity for ulcers or other lesions of the mucous membrane.
Enzymatic analysis of saliva itself.
Additional examination by a dentist, psychiatrist and neurologist to identify possible indirect causes.

What should the treatment be?

We can talk about prescribing therapy only after the final identification of the cause that led to the development of hypersalivation. First of all, you need to seek advice from a therapist. After examination and medical history, he will be able to recommend a specialist.

Depending on the root cause, the doctor prescribes appropriate treatment. In this case, it is not the hypersalivation itself that is eliminated, but the main factor that provoked its development. This may be dental, neurological or gastroenterological treatment.

How to get rid of increased salivation? In particularly critical situations, as a rule, specific therapy is prescribed that acts directly on salivation itself, namely:

Taking anticholinergic drugs (Riabal, Scopolamine, Platifillin). These drugs suppress excessive saliva secretion.
Removal of glands (this method often entails disruption of the functioning of the facial nerves).
For neurological disorders, facial massage and exercise therapy are prescribed.
Radiation therapy.
Cryotherapy (cold treatment).
To block excessive saliva production for a period of time (up to one year), Botox injections are performed.

In addition to all of the above medications, homeopathic options are often used. However, they are prescribed only after consultation with a doctor.

If the diagnostic examination does not reveal any significant abnormalities, you can try to use the recommendations below.

First of all, it is necessary to exclude all spicy, fatty and salty foods from the diet, as they provoke irritation of the oral mucosa. The thing is that many people complain of increased salivation after eating. These kinds of restrictions can help solve this problem.

It is extremely important to stop smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages. As a preventive measure, you can rinse your mouth with a decoction of chamomile or oak bark. These agents act as an antiseptic and prevent the development of this pathology.

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Causes of increased salivation

Any change in the amount of saliva, either towards its increase or decrease, causes a person to feel discomfort. But it is impossible to be inattentive to this phenomenon, especially to increased salivation, or hypersalivation, because it indicates serious health disorders.

What is hypersalivation

Hypersalivation is a disease in which a person significantly increases the secretion of the salivary glands, resulting in increased salivation in the oral cavity.

Hypersalivation is considered normal only in children aged 3 to 6 months; in any other older children and in adults, excessive salivation indicates the presence of problems in the body.

Causes of excessive salivation in adults

Increased salivation can be a symptom of general ill health of a person, as well as irritation or inflammatory processes in some organs, as well as a symptom of an infectious or neuralgic disease.

There are many reasons why saliva “runs”, and only a doctor can determine what hypersalivation is a sign of.

Inflammation in the mouth

Acute inflammatory processes in the oral cavity (stomatitis, gingivitis, sore throat, etc.) can provoke profuse salivation due to the body's unconditioned reflexes.

Bacteria that enter the body through the oral cavity can settle on the mucous membrane and enter the salivary canals, causing the salivary glands to become inflamed and swollen.

Hypersalivation becomes a protective reaction to irritation of the mucous membrane, although an excess amount of saliva cannot have a negative effect on the mucous membrane itself.

Pathologies of the digestive system

If there are disturbances in the functioning of the gastric mucosa, dysfunction of the liver and pancreas, saliva begins to be released reflexively. Excessively hot or spicy foods, as well as diseases - ulcers, gastritis, benign tumors, etc., can cause stomach problems.

The most common cause of hypersalivation associated with the gastrointestinal tract is increased acidity.

Nervous diseases

In some cases, hypersalivation is associated with dysfunction of the central nervous system, as well as with irritation of the vagus nerve, which results in excessive salivation and nausea.

The initial stage of Parkinson's disease, trigeminal neuralgia, and frequent vomiting can cause irritation of the vagus nerve.

Increased salivation also occurs in cerebral palsy, primarily due to incoordination of the oral muscles.

Deviations in the functioning of the thyroid gland

Hormonal imbalance can stimulate increased salivation, i.e. disturbance in the production of hormones. This often occurs in people who have problems with the functioning of the thyroid gland.

Diabetes mellitus, which is an endocrinological disease, also sometimes leads to hypersalivation.

Pregnancy

In pregnant women, due to toxicosis, normal blood circulation in the brain may be disrupted, so this symptom can be called a side effect of this period.

The appearance of hypersalivation is also influenced by the fact that, due to nausea, women find it difficult to swallow saliva, and it begins to flow out. Another pregnancy-related problem, heartburn, can also cause excessive drooling.

Since a woman's body becomes more sensitive to all medications, some medications may unexpectedly cause hypersalivation.

Side effects of drugs

Some pharmaceuticals may have the side effect of increased salivation.

The most common drugs that have this effect are nitrazepam, pilocarpine, muscarine, physostigmine and lithium.

The problem can be solved simply - by reducing the dose of the drug or stopping it, but you cannot make such a decision on your own, without consulting your doctor.

A fairly common cause of excessive drooling, especially in children, is helminth infestation. It is more common in children because they tend to put things in their mouths and bite their nails.

With helminthiasis, increased salivation is observed mainly at night.

Are you looking for effective treatments for bleeding gums during pregnancy? Read this article.

Causes of hypersalivation at night

During sleep, less saliva is produced than during wakefulness. But sometimes there is increased salivation, which appears in a person during sleep.

Not only is it a very unpleasant and inconvenient phenomenon, but prolonged hypersalivation at night can eventually lead to the person one day choking on his own saliva.

However, if characteristic marks on the pillow appear infrequently, there is no need to worry - this only indicates that the body woke up before the person.

Mouth breathing

The habit of breathing through the mouth can lead to hypersalivation at night. If mouth breathing is just a habit, then there is no other way but to get rid of it.

But sometimes a person breathes through his mouth at night due to ENT diseases, allergic rhinitis or problems with the nasal septum. This situation requires consulting a doctor and appropriate treatment.

Features of the structure of the jaws

An incorrect bite in a person, that is, the lack of proper closure of the jaws, can lead to hypersalivation at night, because the mouth will open involuntarily.

For the same reason, increased salivation at night is observed in many elderly people - in a supine position, their lower jaw relaxes, their mouth opens slightly, and saliva begins to flow.

Sleep disorders

The severity of disorders associated with salivation normally depends on the functional state of the brain during sleep and wakefulness. If these regimes are violated, hypersalivation increases.

In addition, if a person sleeps very deeply, he loses control of his body during sleep, which can lead to increased drooling from the mouth.

Causes of increased salivation in children

Hypersalivation in children between 3 and 6 months of age is a normal condition that does not require any intervention. The smallest children salivate at the level of unconditioned reflexes.

In some cases, increased salivation may also occur in a child aged 9–12 months if teething began during this period. The very fact of teething is already a normal reason for drooling.

Everything else and any other age is already a pathology. Increased salivation in children can also serve as a symptom of such serious conditions as concussion and head injuries.

Infants most often suffer from hypersalivation due to infections and irritants entering the oral cavity.

Problems with the gastrointestinal tract and viral diseases - stomatitis of various origins, viral sialadenitis, lead poisoning - can lead to increased salivation in the youngest children.

In infants, false hypersalivation also occurs, in which the amount of saliva secreted by the body remains normal, but it is not swallowed. This may occur due to a violation of the act of swallowing, which is associated with paralysis or inflammatory processes in the pharynx.

In an older child

If excessive salivation occurs in older children, the reasons may be the same as in infants and adult children, but psychological problems are also added to them.

As higher nervous activity develops, children sometimes experience strong emotional experiences, stress, etc., which can provoke increased drooling.

In older children, hypersalivation can lead to dysarthria, that is, a violation of the pronunciation part of speech, because due to the large amount of saliva in the mouth, it is difficult for the child to pronounce words correctly.

Dysarthria is a common cause of developmental delay.

The appearance of this symptom in children should necessarily be the reason for visiting a pediatrician or pediatric dentist.

FAQ

Does smoking affect the amount of saliva produced?

Yes, smokers often experience increased salivation. This occurs due to the effect of saliva and nicotine on the body, as well as hot air on the oral mucosa.

Photo: Smoking can lead to hypersalivation

Can salivation increase after a visit to the dentist or nasopharyngeal surgery, such as tonsil removal?

Yes, hypersalivation during this period is a normal condition, because due to local anesthesia, the receptors of the oral cavity are irritated.

Does menopause affect saliva production?

Yes, during menopause, increased salivation periodically occurs during hot flashes in more than half of women.

How much saliva is normally produced by the body per day?

Up to 2 liters, or up to 2 mg every 10 minutes. The normal state of salivation is when it does not flow out of the mouth and there is no need to spit out excess.

How to treat a pimple on the tip of the tongue? The answer is here.

What to do if there is a lump with pus on the gum? Recommendations in this article.

What are the causes of hypersalivation after eating?

The mechanism of saliva secretion is as follows - it occurs as a response of the body to the smell and type of food.

That is, salivation is a response to the influence of conditioned stimuli. Small salivary glands work constantly because their task is to moisturize the oral mucosa.

But large glands secrete saliva precisely because of the conditioned reflex to food. And if the food has too rich, spicy, sour or other strong tastes, then the salivary glands may not stop producing saliva in time.

Causes of excessive salivation in humans

There is probably no need to explain what the process of salivation means. The oral cavity is filled with secretion produced by the salivary glands. Reflex actions are not controlled by a person, but under the influence of various factors and due to certain conditions of the body, the amount of saliva secreted can greatly increase, which serves as a signal of problems in the functioning of organs and vital systems. Let's figure out why this pathology occurs.

Excessive salivation: what causes it?

If increased moisture in the mouth of young children is quite understandable, then an adult who has an abundance of saliva is an abnormal phenomenon. Wiping and constantly spitting out excess secretion looks completely unattractive and gives a person a number of inconveniences. In this case, other symptoms may be added to the unpleasant defect in the functioning of the salivary glands, an increase in body temperature, the appearance of a rash on the skin, etc. Such situations clearly require medical attention.

The reasons for excessive salivation can be very diverse:

gastrointestinal diseases. Gastritis and stomach ulcers, dysfunction of the liver or pancreas, tumors of internal organs can remind themselves in this way;
inflammatory processes in the oral cavity. Periodontitis, stomatitis and gingivitis, manifested by bleeding, weakness and swelling of the gums, are often accompanied by copious amounts of saliva;
hormonal changes. For example, in women during menopause or pregnancy, when the body undergoes certain changes, side effects may include overly active functioning of the salivary glands;
vitamin deficiency and decreased immunity. Lack of B vitamins, as well as E and A, is especially fraught with consequences;
nervous stress. Stress, depression, psychological trauma and emotional tension target the most unexpected processes of the body, disrupting their natural course;

In addition, factors that negatively affect the level of salivation also include drug abuse, alcohol and smoking.

Excessive salivation: how to help

It is best to seek practical advice from your therapist. He will help determine the true causes of excessive salivation and recommend effective treatment for this problem. It is likely that additional examinations and consultations with a neurologist, urologist or gastroenterologist will be required. If the patient has oral diseases, then a trip to the dentist cannot be avoided. You can reduce the work of the salivary glands by taking special medications with the permission of a doctor, but it is important to focus your efforts on eliminating the original source of the disease.

If you ignore medical advice, you will have to use at least homemade recipes for excess saliva. For example, traditional medicine recommends decoctions with nettle and St. John's wort, quince and juices with it.

Causes of excessive salivation - increased salivation in adults and children, at night and during the day - watch the video

Any change in the amount of saliva, either increasing or decreasing, causes a person to feel discomfort. But it is impossible to be inattentive to this phenomenon, especially an increase in salivation, or hypersalivation, because it indicates serious disorders. Contents.

What is hypersalivation?

Hypersalivation is a disease in which a person significantly increases the secretion of the salivary glands, resulting in increased salivation in the mouth.

Hypersalivation is considered normal only in children aged 3 to 6 months; in other older children and in adults, excessive salivation indicates the presence of problems in the Causes.

In pregnancy, due to toxicosis, normal blood circulation in the brain may be disrupted, so this symptom can be called a side effect of this period.

The appearance of hypersalivation is also affected by the fact that, due to nausea, it is difficult for women to swallow saliva, and it begins to flow out. Another pregnancy-related problem, heartburn, can also cause excessive salivation.

Since a woman’s body becomes more sensitive to all medications, some drugs can unexpectedly cause hypersalivation.

Side effects of drugs

Some pharmaceutical products can have a side effect of increased salivation.

The most common effects are nitrazepam, pilocarpine, muscarine, physostigmine and Violations.

The severity of disturbances associated with normal salivation depends on the functional state of the brain in sleep and wakefulness. If these regimes hypersalivation, the disturbance increases.

In addition, if a person sleeps very deeply, he loses control over his body during sleep, which can lead to increased drooling from the mouth.

Causes of increased salivation in children

Hypersalivation in children from 3 to 6 months of life is a normal condition that does not require any intervention. The smallest children salivate at the level of unconditioned reflexes.

In some cases, increased salivation may also occur in a child aged 9–12 months if teething began at this time. period, the fact of teething is already normal is the reason for drooling.

Everything is different and the rest of the age is already a pathology. Increased salivation in children can also serve as a symptom of such severe conditions as concussion and infant injuries.

Infants most often suffer from hypersalivation due to infections and irritating substances entering the oral cavity.

Leading to increased salivation in very young children can be problems with the gastrointestinal tract and viral diseases - stomatitis of various origins, viral poisoning, lead sialadenitis.

In infants, false hypersalivation also occurs, the amount of saliva secreted by the body remains normal, but it is not swallowed. This may occur due to a violation of the act of swallowing, which is associated with paralysis or inflammatory processes in the pharynx.

In an older child of age

If excessive salivation occurs in older children, then the reasons may be the same as in infants and adult children, but psychological problems are also added to them.

With the higher development of nervous activity in children, sometimes strong emotional experiences arise, stress occurs, etc., which can provoke increased drooling.

Causes of increased salivation in adults

Two liters of saliva per day: this is what healthy salivary glands produce in adults. Exceeding the norm means hypersalivation - increased salivation. Signals about malfunctions in the body.

“Extra” saliva constantly has to be spat out; it flows out of the mouth. Hence the complexes, discomfort in communicating with friends and colleagues, spoiled mood.

Signs and symptoms

Saliva performs a number of functions:

ensures normal sound pronunciation;
supports the perception of taste;
makes it easier to swallow food.

With increased salivation, its functions are impaired. There are complaints about changes in taste sensations - tastes are felt either not fully or too pronounced, a perversion manifests itself - a taste disorder. Due to excess fluid in the mouth, problems with diction also appear.

It is important for the doctor to distinguish true increased salivation from false, in which patients complain of excess saliva, but in fact no more than 2 liters are secreted per day. This reaction is caused by trauma and inflammation of the oral cavity - for example, burns of the tongue and mucous membranes by boiling water, pericoronitis, which causes swallowing problems, etc.

The secretion of saliva is a natural process controlled by the autonomic nervous system. Its violations are evidence of either general health problems or pathologies of individual organs and inflammatory processes in the oral cavity.

Local factors

With inflammation of the gums - gingivitis, periodontitis and periodontal disease - pathogenic bacteria enter the channels of the salivary glands and irritate them. In response to microbial aggression, the glands produce excess fluid.

Digestive problems

Most often, excessive salivation due to problems with the digestive system is caused by high acidity of the stomach. Irritation of the gastric mucosa, excessive load on the pancreas and liver dysfunction are also some of the sources of the problem.

Nervous system diseases

Cerebral palsy, the initial stage of Parkinson's disease, bulbar and pseudobulbar syndrome, damage to the trigeminal nerve and diseases in which vomiting is often observed (for example, migraines) - all these pathologies of the central nervous system can cause hypersalivation. The same can be said about disorders of the vestibular apparatus, in particular about seasickness and air sickness.

Hormonal imbalances

Endocrine disorders often provoke pathology of salivation. Most often these are problems with the thyroid gland (for example, thyroiditis), diabetes mellitus and menopausal conditions. In adolescents it occurs due to hormonal changes.

Side effects of chemicals and medications

The diagnosis may appear as a result of iodine and mercury poisoning after taking a number of medications:

After discontinuation of the drug, the problem is eliminated.

People with removable dentures and smokers often suffer from hypersalivation - nicotine and tar irritate the oral mucosa. The reason is helminthic infestations that affect the organs of the digestive and cardiovascular systems.

Increased salivation during pregnancy

While carrying a child, temporary hormonal changes occur, against the background of toxicosis, cerebral circulation is disrupted, and heartburn occurs.

Don't forget about gum disease, which is common among expectant mothers - gingivitis. Sometimes the causes of hypersalivation lie in it.

Excessive salivation at night

Normally, in a healthy person, salivation decreases sharply at night. A couple of drops of saliva on the pillow in the morning is just evidence that the body woke up earlier than its owner.

Factors that provoke excessive salivation during sleep:

mouth breathing;
malocclusion, in which the mouth remains open at night - for example, with an open, mesial and distal bite;
sleep disturbances - for example, too deep sleep, similar to an unconscious state, during which control over the body is completely lost.

How to get rid

The elimination of hypersalivation is carried out by specialized specialists:

dentists work with local causes,
gastroenterologists solve problems with the gastrointestinal tract,
neurologists treat diseases of the nervous system,
endocrinologists – hormonal imbalances,
Infectious disease specialists and toxicologists prescribe therapy for poisoning.

Drug therapy

If excess fluid in the oral cavity reduces the quality of life, in addition to general therapy, the doctor prescribes symptomatic treatment - anticholinergics:

Scopolamine has fewer contraindications - only glaucoma. Platiphylline has glaucoma, organic kidney and liver diseases. Riabal is taken during pregnancy, but it is contraindicated for problems with the prostate, gall bladder and kidneys, intestines, cardiovascular system and many other diseases.

A quick but temporary effect is achieved by intramuscular injections of Botox into the area of the salivary glands - in the cheeks and cheekbones. Botox blocks the nerve signals that the salivary glands transmit to the brain, and due to this, a strong response to irritation of the glands does not occur and saliva is not released in large quantities.

Facial massage is useful for hypersalivation of a neurological nature.

The method of selective removal of the salivary glands is used extremely rarely, since the procedure is fraught with damage to the facial nerves.

Folk remedies

To relieve symptoms:

rinsing with tincture of water pepper - 1 tablespoon per glass of water, after meals; tea and rinse with viburnum berries - crush 2 tablespoons of berries and pour a glass of boiling water.

Rinse solutions are also made based on Lagochilius intoxicating, shepherd's purse, and chamomile.