Understand Drooling Symptoms, Causes and Treatments
Drooling is the unintentional flow of excessive saliva from the mouth. It can be caused by weak mouth muscles or overproduction of saliva by the six salivary glands located near the jaw, lips, and front teeth.
The first two years of life are common. Babies rarely develop full control of swallowing and mouth muscles until they are between 18 and 24 months of age. Babies can also drool when their teeth are coming in. Drooling is normal during sleep.
Drooling can occur in people who have other medical conditions or neurological conditions, such as cerebral palsy
Symptoms of Drooling
- Wetness around the mouth
- Chapped lips or facial skin irritation
- Frequent swallowing
- Difficulty speaking or eating
What are the Causes of Drooling?
It may be a physical disorder that results from it. It can be a side effect of some drugs as well.
Any disease, condition, or medicine that weakens muscles produces excess saliva, or makes swallowing difficult can cause drool.
The following are some causes:
- Age: Babies are vulnerable to drool, and when they are a little older, they do not have complete control over the muscles in their mouth. Drool also occurs when babies are teething.
- Diet: Consuming acidic foods, such as alcohol and certain fruits, can stimulate excessive saliva production and cause drool.
Allergies
People who have seasonal allergies may feel the development of excess saliva, which may result in drool. Some other allergy symptoms include:
- itchy eyes
- runny nose
- Sneezing
Medications
Some drugs can cause people to release more saliva than normal. Culprits include medications for:
- Psychiatric conditions
- Myasthenia gravis
- Alzheimer's disease
- Neurological conditions
Some neurological conditions can also cause . These include conditions, particularly in the face, that cause Muscle weakness.
Some examples of neurological conditions that can affect a person's ability to swallow or close their mouth include:
Parkinson's Disease
- amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- cerebral palsy
- Stroke
Other conditions that cause excessive saliva production or difficulty swallowing can also lead to drooling. Some examples of such conditions include:
- acid reflux
- infections, such as tonsillitis, strep throat, or sinusitis
- anatomical irregularities in the head and neck
- sleep apnea
- Pregnancy is another factor that can cause excessive saliva.
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Get A Second OpinionWhat are the Complications of Drooling?
It can affect the life of an individual both medically and psychosocially. This symptom can be embarrassing in social situations and affect self-esteem.
Heavy excessive saliva can lead to cracking, irritation, and breakage of the skin.
If a person cannot swallow, saliva often seeps out as drool. However, in severe cases, it can collect in the throat. When inhaled, this can lead to a lung infection called aspiration pneumonia.
How is Drooling Diagnosed?
Anterior hypersalivation is diagnosed by the family or their caregivers by observing excessive saliva . A history of repeated choking and pneumonia may suggest subsequent hypersalivation. Occasionally, additional tests may be helpful, including swallowing evaluations conducted jointly by speech pathologists and radiologists, in which the child is examined with X-ray images during the act of swallowing.
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Book an AppointmentWhat is the Treatment of Drooling?
- Sometimes,it does not require treatment. In babies, for example, people consider drool to be normal.
- Doctors will recommend treatment if the saliva is severe, disrupts daily activities, or causes embarrassment.
- In some cases, heavy saliva can also lead to respiratory infections if the person breathes in excess saliva.
- As individuals often rub saliva across their mouths, prolonged may often cause skin inflammation, such as a rash.
Some ways that people can control excess saliva production include:
- Suck on hard candy
- Chewing gum
- Wear a bracelet to wipe your mouth discreetly
Treatment varies depending on the severity of a person's drool and its cause. Options include the following:
Certain types of therapy can help treat excess drooling.
For example, swallowing therapy can help people with swallowing problems by teaching exercises to strengthen the muscles of the mouth and throat.
Health professionals can also help people learn to eat and drink techniques that can help limit drool.
Also, speech therapy can help with the mobility of the tongue and improve the position and closure of the lips during swallowing.
Dental or Oral Devices
Oral devices can help with saliva production. They help ensure proper jaw, lip, and tongue position to limit drool.
However, they are not very comfortable. They are also not suitable for people who have difficulty breathing through their noses or people with seizure disorders.
When to visit a Doctor?
It is quite common and is rarely a cause for concern.
However, it may be worth getting medical attention to treat this condition if the frequent drool is constant, serious, delays everyday tasks, or causes humiliation.
What are the Home Remedies for Drooling?
Before sleeping at night, drinking a glass of water and chewing on a lemon wedge will help to eliminate excessive saliva for that
- Make sure you sleep on your back to avoid the accumulation of saliva in your mouth.
- Take steam before bed to open a stuffy nose. It will help you breathe through your nose instead of your mouth and will prevent drool.
Botox Injections
Health professionals can inject Botox into the salivary glands to reduce saliva production.
- This treatment usually has no major side effects. It doesn't always work, but when it does, it can reduce drool for a few months.
- Injections are usually made into the parotid glands through the cheek.
Medications
In people who suffer with this symptom resulting from allergies, taking allergy medications can help limit excessive saliva production.
Doctors can also prescribe specific medications to curb saliva in people with neurological conditions.
Surgery
A doctor will only recommend surgery if the drool is excessive, causes respiratory infections, and does not respond to other treatment options.
