Why does a dog foam at the mouth: how to recognize physiological and pathological causes

Thick saliva

The salivary glands produce a multicomponent fluid (secret), which mainly consists of water. Only 5% of saliva is enzyme compounds, amino acids, acidic salt residues and various trace elements. This secret performs a lot of important functions in the human body:

• protective (moisturizes the oral mucosa, protects it from attacks by pathogenic bacteria);
• digestive (ensures the formation of a food bolus);
• allows you to taste the food.

In a healthy person, saliva is a transparent, odorless liquid, which upon contact with the mucous membrane does not cause irritation, burning or other discomfort.

How long does an alcohol attack last?

The active phase of an epileptic seizure is usually short, it can last from 30 seconds to several minutes. After an attack, a person may lose memory, be distracted and disoriented, and feel weak and in pain.

The frequency of epileptic attacks usually does not exceed 2-3 times a year. However, their main danger lies in the transition to a chronic form. Then seizures can occur even during long periods of sobriety, since a pathological focus of excitation will form in the brain, causing an epileptic attack.

Why is there a problem?

Thick saliva is a symptom that many patients may experience. The viscous, foamy liquid is the result of a failure in the production of mucin glycoprotein (high molecular weight components responsible for the formation of the food bolus). Other causes of thick saliva are disorders of the autonomic nervous system, eating foods with strong odors and strong tastes (increase salivation).

Pathological factors causing the appearance of white mucus in the mouth:

• Sinusitis. These are active inflammatory processes in the nasal sinuses, which “make themselves known” with thick and viscous sputum and bad breath. Snot from the nose enters the oral cavity, from there into the pharynx, flows down the back wall of the throat, and ends up in the stomach. The chronic course of sinusitis, in addition to local symptoms, can be complicated by regular severe headaches, fever, and weakness.
• Xerostomia. In this case, viscous saliva and mucus in the mouth are a consequence of disruption of the salivary glands themselves. Additional symptoms: swelling, hardness of the tongue, dryness, irritation, burning sensation on the mucous membrane. The throat may be sore, sore, and the functioning of the taste buds may be impaired.
• Fungal candidiasis. A disease of an infectious nature that develops against the background of an immune failure in the body. Thus, saliva becomes sticky in patients who take medications on a long-term basis - corticosteroids (hormones) or antibiotics. In addition, the candida fungus enters the oral cavity through contact (through a kiss, when sharing personal hygiene items). Associated discomfort: dysphagia, metallic taste in the mouth, burning and itching of the mucous membranes.

Common respiratory diseases such as tonsillitis, laryngitis, and pharyngitis also lead to the appearance of foamy saliva. The infection affects the tonsils, causing the formation of purulent blisters on the back wall of the throat - when they resolve themselves, purulent exudate flows into the oral cavity, causing the appearance of a putrid odor (taste), the feeling of thick mucus in the mouth. In addition, the course of such diseases is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, dehydration, and dysfunction of the salivary glands - the amount of secretion produced decreases, and saliva in the mouth thickens.

Dental problems can also be the “culprit” for the appearance of thick, viscous saliva. Periodontitis, periodontal disease (inflammatory lesions of the soft tissues of the oral cavity) lead to pathological changes in the structure of the gums, the amount of saliva produced decreases. In addition, elements of epithelial tissue mix with the secretion, making it viscous and thick.

Malfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract provoke the appearance of thick saliva in the throat. Gastroesophageal reflux disease causes stomach acid to rise up the esophagus and reach the mouth. Thus, the salivary glands are forced to produce more secretion to neutralize the effect of gastric juice on the mucous membrane - the consistency of saliva changes.

Why else can saliva become viscous and thick:

• endocrine disruptions in the body (hormonal changes in pregnant women, during puberty in adolescents, during menopause);
• autoimmune pathologies (have an unclear etiology and are difficult to respond to any therapy; the course of such diseases is accompanied by changes in the functioning of all glands, including the salivary glands);
• dehydration of the body. Since water is the main component of saliva, its deficiency leads to increased viscosity of the secretion;
• increased dryness of indoor air;
• smoking;
• prolonged exposure to allergens on the body;
• drug treatment (antidepressants, antihistamines, hormonal drugs).

Thick, foamy saliva accompanies the course of diabetes. Along with this symptom, patients also experience other manifestations: dry mouth, constant thirst, impaired taste, pain, burning in the throat, cracks in the tongue, and unpleasant foul odor from the mouth.

Some patients experience the appearance of thick yellow saliva. If this phenomenon occurs in the morning, the reason may lie in increased dryness of the air in the room. The same problem “haunts” smokers. The list of pathological factors causing yellowing of secretions includes, first of all, infectious diseases of the respiratory system.

Persistent regurgitation

When digesting food, the stomach muscles perform special movements - wave-like contractions that help saturate the food mass with gastric juice and push it towards the duodenum. This phenomenon is called peristalsis, and the contractions themselves are called peristaltic waves.

The ability of the stomach to retain food mass—peristole—depends on the elasticity of the muscular walls of the stomach, mainly its upper, fundal part. Both excessive strengthening (spasmodic contraction of the stomach) and extreme weakening of the peristole (atony) are disturbing pathologies of gastric motility.

Regular regurgitation is promoted by a general spastic state of the stomach against the background of muscle weakness of the cardia: food simply cannot be retained in the stomach. Constant regurgitation indicates that the causes that caused it have become chronic.

Diagnosis and treatment

It is quite possible that the increased thickness of saliva in the morning is the result of hormonal changes in the body, so the problem may resolve on its own after some time, the salivary glands will restore their normal functioning. If such an abnormal phenomenon persists for a long time, it is necessary to visit a dentist, assess the condition of the teeth and oral mucosa, and exclude local inflammatory processes. The doctor will give directions for studies to assess the “health” of the salivary glands.

Important! The first thing that needs to be done in case of increased viscosity of saliva is to cope with dry mouth and “wash out” pathogens that begin to attack the mucous membrane when local immunity is reduced. To do this, experts recommend rinsing your mouth with decoctions of herbs with anti-inflammatory properties (chamomile, calendula) and a soda-salt solution (½ teaspoon of each powder per glass of warm boiled water).

For laryngitis, pharyngitis and other respiratory diseases, it is advisable to use gels, sprays, and solutions with antiseptic properties. The dentist may prescribe artificial saliva or a spray humidifier for the oral cavity. Such products also have antibacterial properties and fight bad breath.

Bromlane, Acetylstein are mucolytic drugs that thin saliva well and help remove mucus in infectious respiratory diseases. Inhalation is another method of dealing with the problem. Pharmaceutical compositions or decoctions, infusions of medicinal plants well moisturize the mucous membrane, provide an anti-inflammatory effect, and make the consistency of saliva more liquid.

Causes of impaired functioning of the salivary glands

Problems with the glandular system are marked by symptoms: in the morning thick, foamy saliva appears, similar to mucus, lips, and the corners of the mouth become covered with cracks or ulcers. With impaired salivation, dry mucous membranes are constantly observed. Among the diseases and pathologies affecting the salivary glands are:

1. Diseases of the salivary system
   . The production of saliva sharply decreases, the areas under the jaw, closer to the ears, become inflamed. Pathology occurs with mumps, Mikulicz's disease, and sialostasis.
2. Removed glands
   . Amputation occurs along with the excision of cysts, benign tumors, as a result of clearing salivary stones.
3. Cystic fibrosis
   . Genetic cause of deterioration of secretory functions.

The answer to the question of why a dry mouth is often associated with diseases that do not in any way affect the activity of the glands.

Perspective

Foaming or foaming in the mouth is a very rare symptom, but it is associated with serious health complications. These include drug overdoses, seizures, and rabies infections.

If someone begins to foam at the mouth, a bystander should turn them on their side, make sure their airway is clear, and call an ambulance or take them to the nearest hospital.

If left untreated, conditions known to cause foaming at the mouth can lead to serious health complications, most commonly organ failure, coma and death.

source

Viscous saliva as a symptom of disease

If your mouth is constantly dry, and your drool changes color and consistency, then this may be a symptom of diseases of other organs. Additional signs confirm the presence of a problem: burning sensation, hardness of the tongue, cracks, strong odor from the mouth, sore throat, impaired taste.

Sinusitis

Chronic disease affects the sinuses. As a result, thick sputum is released, bad breath appears, mucus mixes with saliva and thickens it. Sinusitis is accompanied by swelling of the palate and nasopharynx; in severe cases, headache and fever appear.

Candidiasis

The infection develops after prolonged treatment with antibiotics and corticosteroids. Occurs against the background of immune lesions, as well as as a result of infection through hygiene items.

Candidiasis is included in the group of symptoms of AIDS, tuberculosis and diabetes.

Accompanied by a metallic taste in the mouth, swelling of the throat, burning and severe itching. Externally, candidiasis manifests itself as a strong white coating in the oral cavity.

Laryngitis, sore throat, pharyngitis

Infections affect the tonsils, pus appears, the release of which infects the entire mucous membrane. The process proceeds rapidly, with an increase in temperature, and due to dehydration, the nose and throat become very dry.

If a person develops dark yellow mucus and no saliva, this is a sign of an acute infection.

Acute infections that affect other organs also cause changes in saliva: hepatitis, typhus, salmonellosis, dysentery, cholera.

Periodontal disease and periodontitis

The gums become inflamed, saliva becomes scarce, and its viscosity increases. With periodontal disease, it becomes whitish and stringy. Overgrowth of gum tissue can affect the functioning of the salivary glands.

Gastrointestinal diseases

One of the reasons why your mouth becomes dry and thick saliva appears is gastroesophageal reflux. It develops due to a weakening of the sphincter, which protects against the penetration of gastric juice into the lower esophagus.

Mixed with other liquids and food, the acid enters the mouth and causes profuse salivation. The process may cause it to thicken and change color.

Endocrine pathologies

Any changes in hormonal levels can affect the consistency of saliva. During menopause or pregnancy, it becomes thicker in some women.

Changes in the structure of the thyroid gland affect the functioning of the entire internal secretion system.

The condition of a dry mouth and viscous saliva in diabetes mellitus is dangerous - an unpleasant condition develops due to a sharp drop or increase in blood glucose.

Diagnosis

In order to find out exactly the cause of the patient’s belching with food, make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe treatment, the doctor prescribes an additional examination. You should not be surprised to hear questions of a personal nature from the doctor’s lips. In particular, he may ask in what conditions the patient lives and what he eats.

The patient must undergo all tests. This is necessary for the doctor to confirm or deny the presence of gastrointestinal diseases. Most often, the examination is limited to blood tests, stool tests and biochemistry, but in some cases additional tests may be prescribed, in particular ultrasound.

Causes not related to diseases

Sticky saliva in the mouth, dryness and discomfort occur as a result of other factors. You can simply avoid or eliminate them at home (or wait a while for the body to recover on its own). Here are the most common reasons:

• dehydration
  - often appears after physical activity, in the hot season, after too much sleep;
• dry air
  – due to excessive operation of the heating system, dry mucous membranes develop;
• radiation therapy
  - changes in saliva occur with large doses of radiation or when treating the throat;
• alcohol abuse and smoking
  - lead to dehydration, problems with the secretion of all internal glands;

Saliva becomes viscous during certain physiological processes and pathologies.

Changes in saliva during pregnancy

During the first trimester of pregnancy, women may experience changes in their mouth. The process is especially noticeable in the evening before bedtime and at night. Additional symptoms occur: hot flashes, stomach problems, dry nose and mouth, metallic taste, cracked lips.

All unpleasant sensations during pregnancy associated with salivation depend on the functioning of the hormonal and metabolic system.

Sometimes the changes occur due to medications, other times due to increased volume of fluids in the body. Dry mouth and altered salivation are accompanied by frequent urination. An accelerated metabolism leads to sweating and, as a result, dehydration may occur.

First aid

How to stop bleeding in the mouth after an injury?

Either parent should provide first aid for minor injuries. To stop bleeding from a broken lip, you need to perform a number of simple steps:

As a rule, with minor injuries, tissues completely restore their integrity within 7–14 days.

Doctors strongly discourage the use of Iodine and Diamond Green solutions on the mucous membranes of the mouth. The aggressive action of drugs can aggravate tissue damage, leading to dehydration, dryness, cracks and burns.

If a person sees that the scale of the injury is too great, the bleeding does not stop, the victim complains of severe pain, the temperature rises, and signs of impaired consciousness appear, immediately call an ambulance.

The appearance of thick saliva and dryness during sleep

During sleep, any changes in saliva and the appearance of severe dryness depend on a huge number of factors. Most often, viscosity increases due to sleeping with the mouth slightly open or snoring.

Dry mouth can occur when a person sleeps under the influence of severe stress. Experiences, emotional turmoil, lack of rest and psychological problems affect all areas of the body. In some people, the functioning of the salivary glands is affected.

If you experience dry mouth at night, anxiety and rapid heartbeat, these are symptoms of a panic attack.

During panic attacks, any acute symptoms disappear without a trace. The discomfort does not persist during the day. If a person sometimes experiences panic attacks during wakefulness, then it is most likely because of them that dryness appears at night and the viscosity of saliva increases.

Salivation disorders

Salivation (or salivation) is one of the most important processes in the human body, ensuring the normal condition of the mucous membranes of the mouth, gums, teeth, and tongue.
Unfortunately, the process of salivation in some cases can proceed incorrectly, which will be discussed in the article.

Types of disorders of normal salivation

Hypersalivation

Saliva is produced in too large quantities and must be constantly spat out or swallowed.

There are very frequent cases of saliva leaking from the mouth during sleep, when the muscles, including the facial ones, completely relax, and the person is simply not able to control himself at such a moment.

However, the condition of the oral mucosa most often does not cause any concern in patients.

Moreover, in the vast majority of cases, hypersalivation goes unnoticed and is considered a completely normal phenomenon.

In children who have not yet turned four years old, teeth cut and grow very quickly, and the gastrointestinal tract develops. Most often, the process of development of the salivary glands in this case simply cannot “keep up” with other development processes in the body.

Hyposalivation

Diseases in which this syndrome occurs

Excessive salivation may indicate:

• Parkinson's disease;
• Some helminthic diseases;
• Increased tone of the vagus nerve;
• Pancreatitis;
• Gastritis;
• Ulcer;
• Cholecystitis;
• Gingivitis, periodontitis;
• Diseases of the thyroid gland.

Insufficient saliva production indicates:

Diagnostics

Which doctors are recommended for a person to see if he notices a problem with salivation?

• Therapist (first of all!);
• Neurologist;
• Dentist;
• Endocrinologist;
• Gastroenterologist;
• Maxillofacial surgeon.

Hyposalivation can be diagnosed as follows : a specialist examines the oral mucosa; if it is very poorly moistened or completely dry, saliva resembles foam or is completely absent, then measures need to be taken.

Gastrointestinal bleeding

Blood from the mouth may be accompanied by vomiting

In some cases, vomiting accompanied by slight bleeding may indicate a burst vessel in the throat or esophagus. But most often bleeding indicates the following diseases:

• stomach or duodenal ulcer
• erosion of the mucous membrane of the stomach or esophagus
• liver cirrhosis in severe stages

Blood from the mouth may be a symptom of a serious illness

Bleeding occurring in the gastrointestinal tract is, in the vast majority of cases, caused by ulcers. Other causes that can provoke them are cancer, medications and some systemic diseases, such as atherosclerosis.

Causes

In order to understand why foam comes from the mouth, you need to know the reasons for its occurrence:

• Convulsive seizures due to poisoning by poisons, drugs and drugs.
• An attack of heart pain during myocardial infarction, uncontrollable angina, resulting in cardiogenic shock, which, if assistance is not provided, leads to the death of the patient.
• Cardiac asthma with massive atherosclerotic lesions of the main blood vessels, malformations of the heart, diseases of the valve structures.
• Acute cerebrovascular accident as a result of hypoxia due to atherosclerosis or hemorrhage due to an aneurysm, weakness of the vascular wall.

Any of these reasons, if pre-medical and qualified assistance from a doctor is not provided, leads to severe disruptions in the functioning of the organs of the human body and even death.

Coronary heart disease is one of the most common diseases of people over 50 years of age, most often affecting the male half of the population. The narrowing of the lumen of the vascular wall leads to a weakening of blood circulation in the tissues adjacent to this blood vessel, hypoxia of the area and ischemia occur, leading to the death of cardiomyocytes. Symptoms of angina pectoris appear, and then myocardial infarction may develop.

The consequence of this process is acute heart failure and the development of pulmonary edema. The patient takes a forced position of the body - sitting or leaning on a bed or table. Shallow, noisy breathing can be heard from a distance, and a hacking cough with foam coming out of the mouth is disturbing. Further, a cardiogenic shock state and clinical death may develop.

First aid in this case consists of taking Nitroglycerin under the tongue and Aspirin tablets, which must be chewed. For arrhythmia - Valocordin. You should definitely call an ambulance.

If assistance is not provided or treatment is ineffective, biological death occurs.

Epilepsy

An epileptic seizure most often occurs suddenly, but some people feel a special state called an aura before the onset of loss of consciousness. Before an attack, a person may hear unusual smells and sounds. In this case, you can warn the accompanying person.

During an attack, there is intense contraction of the entire muscle group and foamy discharge from the mouth.

If an epileptic attack occurs on the street, it is advisable to:

1. Catch the falling person, lay him on the surface of the soil, and place a cushion under his neck. The roller can be made from available materials - a jacket, a bag.
2. Turn on your side and hold your head in this position to avoid injury and swallowing of your tongue. There is no need to unclench your teeth.
3. If foam comes out of the mouth, carefully wipe it with a handkerchief so that the person does not swallow it, otherwise asphyxia may develop. The foam is white and may be mixed with blood if the tongue or inner surface of the cheek is bitten.

Epileptic seizures can occur with stroke (stroke), traumatic brain injury, tumor growths and metastases, infectious lesions of the brain and its membranes.

Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is an endocrine disease and is divided into types 1 and 2. At the same time, people suffering from this disease must take insulin injections or take glucose-lowering pills for life. In case of non-compliance with diet, medical prescriptions, or intense physical activity, hypo- or hyperglycemic states may occur. As a result, coma develops.

Hypoglycemia occurs suddenly with loss of consciousness, the appearance of cold and sticky sweat, noisy breathing, tremors of the arms and legs, and convulsions may occur. First aid is mandatory. You need to give a warm sweet drink, candy, a piece of refined sugar, and warm the limbs. It is also mandatory to call an ambulance.

Hyperglycemia develops gradually with the appearance of headache, weakness, nausea, vomiting, dry skin and oral mucosa. The smell of acetone is characteristic (it is sometimes confused with the aroma of alcohol; a passerby may think that a person is drunk when passing by a dying person on the sidewalk). If an individual is found in this condition, it is necessary to call an ambulance team, then, if possible, take the person into the shade and unbutton the top buttons of his clothing. Free the oral cavity from vomit and foamy secretions.

Allergic reactions

Anaphylactic shock occurs against the background of penetration of an antigen into the body, a chain of biochemical reactions develops, leading to circulatory failure and changes in the process of gas exchange in tissues. Antigens can be:

• Pollen.
• A bite of an insect.
• Medicines.
• Food allergens.
• Bacteria.

Symptoms are varied and can manifest as skin itching, rashes, swelling, asthmatic syndrome, with foamy sputum, difficulty breathing, and hoarseness. A feature of shock is its lightning-fast development and severe course.

First aid consists of calling an ambulance and stopping contact with the allergen. The patient should be placed on a flat surface, with his head turned to the side. If a person is vomiting or foaming at the mouth, wrap gauze or a handkerchief around the finger and remove foreign substances.

Compliance with the rules of behavior and provision of pre-medical care will greatly reduce the risk of death.