Why We Drool, When Drooling Becomes Dangerous, and Tips on Reducing the Salivary Wrath

The salivary glands in the mouth produce about 2-3 pints of saliva a day. That's 2-3 of those tiny little water bottles. Gross, right? Natural, though. We're forced to regularly swallow it as to not let it fall out of our mouths while were sleeping, sometimes while we're talking, and if it goes down our airway, our natural reaction is to gag and cough. Controlling it becomes an involuntary action.

Drooling occurs with an overproduction of saliva. When a baby drools, it is because their teeth are growing in. As their teeth grow in, their salivary glands produce extra saliva to sooth the gums. This drooling behavior typically ends when a baby stops teething. But if it doesn't, it can have some negative consequences.

Adults might drool for reasons such as the removal of a tooth, particular medications, etc. An adult with excessive drooling should visit his/her physician.

Why do we need saliva?
Speech, for one. Saliva lubricates the teeth, tongue, and other areas of the mouth. When the lips, tongue or teeth become dry, it can be difficult to speak.

Eating, of course. When we eat dryer foods, our saliva steps in to moisten them up before we swallow. We need saliva to swallow and eat. Saliva also lubricates the pathways so food glides down the pipes. Digestion begins in the mouth. Saliva is the first enzyme to begin breaking down fats and sugars in our food.

So, is too much saliva bad? It can be. Parents whose children continue to drool after teething may want to consult a physician. School-aged children who haven't tackled their drooling problem might be teased, made fun of. Their clothes may become wet, and they might have bad breath because of it. Poor posture, neurological impairments and lack of sensitivity in the areas around the mouth may contribute to drooling as well.

Strategies to reduce drooling:
I wouldn't write a blog about excessive drooling without letting you in on some pretty solid tips on keeping the pillow dry. These tips include:

• Brushing the teeth or rinsing the mouth out after eating
• Eating foods and soups of different textures to improve sensory stimulation in the mouth
• Using a mirror to dry the face frequently; checking for food inside the mouth (sometimes, a child may have trouble feeling food stuck in the teeth, and needs a mirror to realize it's there)
• Massaging the mouth before meals to improve sensation within and outside the mouth

Treatment for drooling may include:

Exercises to improve the muscle tone, strength, sensitivity, movement, and stability of the structures in the mouth

Prescribed drugs that help decrease the production of saliva

Radiation therapy to help decrease the production of saliva (although I personally wouldn't advise this unless it were a dire situation with the utmost necessity for it, when all other options are exhausted)

Surgery on the glands around the mouth to help reduce production of saliva

 Parents should realize that not all children are the same, and some may take longer to stop drooling than others.
Then, there are those we hope will never stop drooling.

Resources

Hutton, Thaashida L. M.S., CCC-SLP, Super Duper Handy Handouts (2009):  All About Drooling