Drooling Or Excessive Salivation

Overview

Drooling can occur due to excessive salivation causing the saliva to flow out of the mouth unintentionally. Excessive salivation is also known as hypersalivation. Saliva is produced by the salivary glands and it helps to keep the mouth moist, prevent dryness, moisten food, cool down food in the mouth, helps in digestion, clears off bacteria and food particles. However, drooling or excessive salivation can be a problem as it causes disturbances in talking, eating, swallowing and sleeping. It can occur in conditions such as pregnancy, gastroesophageal reflux disease, infections in the mouth, having dentures, poor oral hygiene and certain medications. Drooling also occurs when there is a defective clearance of saliva from the mouth in conditions such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, cerebral palsy, down's syndrome, tonsillitis, peritonsillar abscess, and jaw dislocations or fractures. The treatment of drooling or excessive salivation depends on the underlying cause.