What is hypersalivation in people: an unpleasant pathology or a dangerous symptom

When children drool in their sleep, for most it only causes touching smiles. The reasons are clear - in infants, increased salivation is caused by teething, and older children, having worked hard during the day, sleep so soundly that the muscles supporting the jaws completely relax, and a thin stream of liquid flows freely from the mouth.

For adults, the picture does not look so touching, and waking up on a pillow wet from your own saliva is not very pleasant. In addition, it is completely unclear why an adult drools during sleep and whether it is possible to somehow combat such an unaesthetic phenomenon.

Causes of drooling

Physiological factors

The symptom is observed in most women in the first trimester of pregnancy. The appearance of drooling is associated with reflex irritation of the nerve centers that control the production of saliva. The intensity of the manifestations varies: from single nighttime episodes of sialorrhea to constant and uncontrolled flow of saliva, when a woman loses up to 3-5 liters of fluid per day. Drooling is normal in infants and children during the eruption of primary and permanent teeth.

Mechanical irritation of the oral cavity

Hypersalivation, with saliva flowing from the corners of the mouth, is a common problem for people who start wearing removable dentures. Over the course of several months, adaptation to the foreign body occurs, and the amount of saliva released gradually decreases. Short-term sialorrhea is observed during dental procedures, the use of chewing gum or sucking candy. Drooling occurs in many smokers.

Dental diseases

Sialorrhea often develops with stomatitis, gingivitis, and dental caries. The symptom is associated with irritation of M-cholinergic receptors in the mucosa. Drooling is moderate and appears more often at night. During the day, there may be a slight leakage of saliva, which accumulates in the corners of the mouth. In addition to increased salivation, patients complain of soreness and burning in the mouth, pain when chewing and swallowing, and bad breath.

Gastrointestinal diseases

Sialorrhea is possible when the stomach and initial parts of the intestines are affected. Its most typical appearance is in chronic pancreatitis, cholecystitis, and peptic ulcer. The symptom occurs at any time of the day and is often accompanied by heartburn and an unpleasant taste in the mouth. A combination of drooling with abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and stool disorders is typical.

ENT diseases

The flow of saliva is typical for people who have difficulty breathing through their nose and sleep with their mouth open. It occurs in patients with sinusitis, chronic rhinitis, and in children with adenoids. Drooling develops primarily during sleep. Due to the constant drying of the mucous membrane, a small amount of viscous saliva is released, accumulating on the skin of the perioral zone or leaving marks on the bed linen.

Worm infestations

The reproduction of helminths in the gastrointestinal tract causes irritation of peripheral receptors, reflexively activating the secretion of saliva. A specific sign of helminthiasis is salivation, which is disturbing at night. A person will know that there is a problem by wet spots on the pillowcase and pajamas. Dried crusts of saliva are visible in the corners of the mouth after waking up. Symptoms are supplemented by abdominal pain, dyspeptic disorders, and itching in the anal area.

Neurological pathologies

The symptom occurs in pathological processes affecting the centers of regulation of salivation. Drooling is one of the first signs of Parkinson's disease, a cerebral tumor. In such conditions, saliva is produced in large quantities and must be constantly swallowed. As problems with swallowing later arise, saliva begins to flow from the corners of the mouth.

Drooling can be caused by impaired innervation of the facial muscles and the inability to completely close the mouth. The manifestation is pathognomonic for facial nerve paralysis and residual effects of a stroke. Saliva always drains from one side of the mouth, where sagging cheek muscles and insufficient lip closure are noted. Drooling increases when a person tilts his head to the side towards the affected side of the face.

In bulbar syndrome, sialorrhea is caused by impaired swallowing and the inability to retain saliva in the mouth. The functioning of the salivary glands remains at the same level or even decreases. Patients feel the saliva present in the mouth, but the automatic act of swallowing does not occur. Drooling is a constant concern, regardless of the time of day. Later, speech disturbances and difficulty swallowing solid and liquid foods appear.

Complications of pharmacotherapy

Most often, salivation increases during treatment with M-cholinomimetics. The drugs affect peripheral receptors and stimulate the functions of the salivary glands. In this case, severe uncontrollable drooling occurs, in which saliva flows copiously down the chin. The symptom is determined from the first days of taking medication. There are other medications that cause drooling:

• Iodine-containing preparations.
• Barbiturates.
• Benzodiazepine derivatives: nitrazepam, phenazepam.
• Neuroleptics: triftazine, haloperidol, moditene-depot, clopixol.

Rare causes

• Congenital forms of drooling
  : Glaser syndrome, Cray-Levy syndrome.
• Mental illnesses
  : schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, catatonic syndrome.
• Poisoning
  : organophosphorus substances, metals (lead, mercury), poisonous mushrooms and plants.
• Hormonal disorders
  : hyperestrogenism, menopause, thyroid disease.

Nervous system dysfunction

If a person suffers from excessive flow of saliva from the mouth during sleep, this may indicate the presence of the following pathological phenomena:

• improper blood circulation in the brain caused by a stroke;
• Parkinson's disease;
• multiple sclerosis.

Unfortunately, such a condition with the pathologies described above is quite difficult to treat. In the vast majority of cases, treatment is long-term and strictly controlled by a neurologist. But why does drool with white sediment flow from your mouth during sleep?

Diagnostics

With the problem of drooling, patients turn to a dentist, or less often to a therapist. Given the variety of causes of pathology, the doctor is required to take a detailed medical history and clarify related complaints. The diagnostic search begins with an examination of the oral cavity to identify signs of inflammation or caries. To establish the causes of drooling, the following instrumental and laboratory diagnostic methods are used:

• Biochemical analysis of saliva.
  The study evaluates the amount of fatty acid metabolites formed during the life of bacterial flora. Based on the results of the analysis, it is possible to determine the presence of dysbacteriosis and determine the level of damage to the digestive tract.
• General clinical studies.
  Patients with drooling undergo a general blood test, changes in which indicate the presence of an inflammatory or infectious process. To exclude helminthic infestations, a coprogram is prescribed, a fecal examination for helminth eggs. According to indications, a clinical urine test and studies according to Nechiporenko and Zimnitsky are performed.
• Instrumental techniques.
  If a patient suffering from drooling has complaints about the functioning of the digestive system, an ultrasound of the abdominal organs and plain radiography are necessary. To exclude neurological diseases, CT or MRI of the brain is recommended. Electroneuromyography is effective for assessing the functions of peripheral nerves.

Digestive diseases

As a rule, excessive night salivation occurs with gastritis, which is accompanied by an increase in acidity levels. This can also be observed with ulcerative lesions of the digestive system. Intense activation of the salivary glands is a kind of protection that occurs when there is a need to reduce the amount of gastric juice. Increased salivation softens the effects of acid that is released into the esophagus. Due to this, unpleasant sensations in the form of bitterness in the mouth are reduced. Why an adult’s mouth drools during sleep is of interest to many.

Treatment

Help before diagnosis

Moderate drooling does not pose a threat to health and does not require emergency treatment. With nocturnal sialorrhea, patients are advised to sleep on their side so that saliva does not enter the respiratory tract. To prevent maceration of the skin around the mouth, you need to maintain hygiene and use nourishing and moisturizing creams. Since there is a risk of dehydration with excessive drooling, you should increase the amount of fluid you drink per day.

To reduce saliva production, doctors advise avoiding sweets, carbonated drinks and foods rich in extractive substances. Hygienic oral care is best done with slightly foaming toothpastes. For swallowing disorders and perioral muscle dysfunction, motor exercises are prescribed to help control drooling. Special massage and physiotherapy are used less frequently.

Conservative therapy

In most situations, drooling can be completely eliminated after treatment of the underlying pathology. The therapeutic regimen is selected by a doctor of the appropriate profile: gastroenterologist, otolaryngologist, neurologist. If drooling is caused by acute poisoning, an intensive detoxification program is carried out in a hospital setting. With massive sialorrhea, pathogenetic therapy is required, which includes:

• M-anticholinergics
  . Medicines inhibit the secretion of the salivary glands, quickly eliminating salivation. In addition to standard tablet products, there are skin patches. Solutions with anticholinergics are also used to rinse the mouth.
• Tricyclic antidepressants
  . An additional effect of medications is a decrease in the functional activity of glandular tissue. They are primarily prescribed for psychogenic salivation.
• Botulinum toxin
  . Botulinum toxin temporarily blocks the nerve impulses that stimulate salivation. It is used in the form of local injections in the absence of effect from standard conservative treatment.

Fighting methods

Without identifying the exact cause of increased salivation at night, it is difficult to begin the fight. If there are no bad habits or any visible reasons, then you need to consult a doctor.

There are several positional ways to get rid of excessive saliva production: change your body position during sleep and sleep on your back, not on your side, raise the pillow higher so that your mouth does not open.

Watch your nose, don't let it get stuffy. Just do some inhalation and rinse your nose. Take a hot shower before bed to let the natural steam act as an inhaler.

If you only notice a wet pillow once, don't worry. It is possible that you were in a very sound and deep sleep, and in this state uncontrolled salivation occurred. But if this phenomenon repeats itself repeatedly, then take immediate action.

Photo: https://zagovormaga.ru/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/k-chemu-pirozhnye.jpg

Observation and timely response to a challenge will help prevent not only this phenomenon, but also avoid the occurrence of certain diseases.

What it is

Increased salivation during sleep is called hypersalivation. While this is a common occurrence in babies under 6 months, in adults this pathology signals a number of diseases.

The salivary glands are constantly working, their function is to moisturize the mucous membrane, protect teeth from caries, and also participate in the wound healing process.

The amount of fluid released is affected by food and the use of certain medications. Normally, the smallest amount of secretion is released at night - 2-3 ml in 10 minutes.

Exceeding the permissible volume causes discomfort to the sleeper and affects the quality of sleep and feelings after waking up.

Bulbar syndrome

This problem is one of the most dangerous diseases, which is accompanied by damage to the structures of the nervous system located in the brain. With this pathology, saliva flows heavily at night due to paralysis of one area of ​​the oral cavity. In addition, there are disturbances in speech functions, since the apparatus that is responsible for this is affected. The amount of secretion largely depends on the general condition of the patient. In difficult situations, excessive saliva production may occur when it flows from the mouth during sleep.

In children and adolescents

Why does a child drool from his mouth while sleeping is a question that interests many parents. In infants, excessive salivation is also not a manifestation of pathology. At this age, the salivary glands are not yet fully formed, so this condition should not be considered abnormal. However, if excessive secretion occurs in adolescence, this may be a signal of the development of the following pathological conditions:

• psychological problems;
• diseases of a viral nature;
• neoplasms in the brain;
• damage to the central nervous system;
• poisoning;
• helminthic infestation;
• diseases of the digestive system.

You should also know why a teenager drools from his mouth during sleep. In addition to the above, heavy salivation at night can be a symptom of a head injury. Therefore, if a teenager has excessive drooling during sleep, parents should take him to the doctor.

Physiological role of saliva

Salivation is an unconscious process. Normally, 12 to 15 milliliters of saliva are produced within one hour. A child excretes up to 2.5 liters per day. Why does our body need saliva? Firstly, it is involved in digestive processes. Yes, food begins to be processed in the mouth. Saliva contains enzymes involved in the breakdown of starch and fats. It also envelops food, facilitating the movement of the food bolus through the esophagus.

Thirdly, in infants, saliva “numbs” the teething process.

It turns out that saliva is very important for infants:

It contains digestive enzymes that promote better digestion and absorption of food. In addition, it is able to soften food, thereby helping the still toothless baby; Saliva has protective properties: it moisturizes the oral cavity, which protects it from drying out, and, thanks to the substances it contains, such as lactoferrin, lysocin, etc., it has a bactericidal effect

This is very important for such little ones, because you have noticed that they pull into their mouths everything that comes to hand; Saliva acts as a kind of barrier, helping to neutralize various acidic and alkaline compounds. And thanks to the content of calcium, fluorine and phosphorus, it is able to saturate the enamel of growing teeth with these elements; Viscous saliva helps babies in the first months of life suck at the breast; During teething, the gums can become very inflamed, and saliva can relieve the inflammatory process.

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Main Factors

Content

There can be many reasons why a person cannot swallow accumulated saliva in time, or why it is released in excessively large volumes. First, you need to understand why this happens in the first place.

Doctors identify three factors that are most often associated with the fact that in the morning a person finds a trace of drool on his pillow. First of all, this is, of course, increased salivation. What reasons may be behind this will be discussed below.

It is important to understand that in this case the body produces too much secretion and there is simply nowhere to put it. The second common reason is the inability to swallow saliva. A person does not control himself during sleep, so the swallowing process occurs reflexively. However, for some reason the body cannot do this while the person is unconscious. Hence the drool on the pillow and a bad mood in the morning.

Why do adults drool during sleep?

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​In the first place are the doctors​You are right, drooling is caused by​Don’t sleep in the kitchen​they will examine nasal​infections​people are drooling​​Rabies, most likely.

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Drugs or not a problem, he is most often asleep.

This happens time / and they serve. Noses may also be curled up, especially digestive

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How to help a baby

To reduce skin irritation and skin inflammation and make your child's life more comfortable, a number of preventive measures can be taken if there is increased drooling, which include the following:

Wipe your saliva with hypoallergenic sterile soft wipes with a natural composition and without fragrances. Throw away the tissue after each use; Lightly blot rather than rub the skin on your chin. Friction will only make the irritation worse; Follow the rules of hygiene for babies. Wipe the skin of your chin and chest several times with a soft sponge or towel moistened with warm boiled water; To soften and moisturize the skin, use a special baby cream, milk or lotion. Carefully check the composition and expiration date of the product

It is important that the cream has a natural, safe composition and is appropriate for the child’s age. Choose products containing vitamins A and E

They effectively soften the skin, restore and protect the skin; To protect your clothing, hang a special fabric bib or collar with a waterproof lining. They absorb moisture perfectly. Do not tighten the bib too tightly around your neck!;

• To protect the bedding in the crib, place a folded diaper under your baby's head. This diaper will quickly absorb excess saliva;
• Place the baby on his tummy. This procedure has a positive effect on the development of the child, prevents skull deformation and the formation of an umbilical hernia, improves digestion and reduces salivation. In addition, it will help drain the saliva that usually accumulates in the mouth when lying down. You can place a newborn on his stomach already in the first week of life;
• Regularly change your bib, diaper or clothing as soon as it gets very wet with clean, dry items. Wash bedding and underwear, baby clothes separately from adults, and only with safe hypoallergenic products. Since such products are close to the baby’s skin and can easily provoke allergies, aggravate skin irritation on the chin, cheeks or chest;
• Watch your baby's teeth, give special teethers to reduce pain and inflammation. You can also lightly massage your gums with your finger using gentle circular movements. Remember that your finger must be clean!;
• Use pacifiers periodically as they help your baby swallow saliva. But don't give the pacifier too often, otherwise it will be difficult to wean your baby off it.

As we mentioned earlier, excessive drooling may occur if your baby is sucking, chewing, or biting a fist or finger, which may indicate that your baby is hungry or thirsty. In addition, this process can also be caused by teething. Do not try to wean your baby off sucking, as this is an innate reflex that will go away on its own over time.

Strict prohibitions or screaming because the baby sucks a finger or fist can negatively affect the mental development and nervous state of the baby. Under no circumstances should you smear your hands with mustard, garlic, salt or other similar products! They can cause allergies and poisoning in a child, burn the mouth and esophagus. Show and pay more attention to your baby. Distract your baby from the bad habit with games, activities, exercises and gymnastics. Try to find out and eliminate the reason for this behavior.