Excess saliva production, or hypersalivation, can be caused by infections, gastrointestinal issues, neurological disorders, medications, and dental problems. Symptoms associated with excessive saliva include nausea, difficulty swallowing, and mouth watering, which can complicate daily activities.
Wondering why you have excess saliva when sick? This article explains the causes and offers tips to manage it effectively.
Common Causes of Excess Saliva When Sick
Excessive saliva production, or hypersalivation, can arise from various factors. During illness, the body may respond with increased saliva production due to infections, gastrointestinal issues, or neurological conditions.
Infections, whether viral, bacterial, or gastrointestinal, are major contributors to heightened saliva production during illness, which can also indicate an increased risk. Chronic conditions and infections trigger this increase as part of the body’s response.
Certain medications, dental problems, and allergies can also result in excessive saliva.
Viral Infections
Viral infections such as influenza, the common cold, and COVID-19 can significantly impact your body’s functions, including saliva production. These infections often lead to symptoms such as sore throat and congestion, which can result in increased saliva as your body attempts to soothe the irritated areas.
The immune response to these infections further contributes to excessive saliva production.
Bacterial Infections
Bacterial infections, especially those affecting the throat and sinuses, can increase saliva production. Conditions like strep throat and sinus infections cause excessive saliva as the body works to manage and eliminate the infection.
Such infections irritate the salivary glands, prompting increased saliva secretion.
Gastrointestinal Issues
Gastrointestinal issues such as acid reflux and nausea can also lead to excess saliva production. When stomach acid travels up the esophagus, it stimulates the salivary glands to produce more saliva to neutralize the acid.
Nausea and vomiting, which often accompany gastrointestinal problems, can further exacerbate this issue.
Allergies
Allergies, especially those related to pollen, dust, and mold, can cause excessive saliva production. When your body encounters allergens, it responds by producing more mucus, which can lead to an increase in saliva as well.
Irritation and inflammation from allergic reactions also stimulate the salivary glands.
Dental and Oral Health Problems
Dental and oral health problems such as gum infections and tooth decay can also trigger excessive saliva production. These conditions cause inflammation and irritation in the mouth, leading to an increase in saliva as the body tries to heal the affected areas.
Good oral hygiene helps prevent these issues and manage saliva production.
Medication Side Effects
Medications such as antibiotics, pain relievers, and antihistamines may cause increased saliva production by stimulating the salivary glands or affecting the nervous system.
It’s essential to be aware of these potential side effects when taking medication.
Sinus Infections
Sinus infections frequently cause excessive saliva production. Post-nasal drip from these infections irritates the throat and stimulates the salivary glands, increasing saliva.
Managing sinus infections effectively can help reduce saliva production.
Gastrointestinal Tract Infections
Gastrointestinal tract infections like gastroenteritis and food poisoning can increase saliva production. Inflammation in the digestive tract stimulates the salivary glands as the body manages the illness.
Proper appropriate treatment of these infections is crucial to manage saliva production and to treat saliva.
Neurological Conditions
Neurological conditions like cerebral palsy, motor neuron disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and stroke can drastically impact saliva production by disrupting the nervous system disorders’ regulation, leading to excessive salivation.
Managing these underlying conditions is essential to control the underlying cause of saliva production.
Symptoms Associated with Excess Saliva Production
Excessive saliva production often comes with other symptoms, adding to discomfort and inconvenience. Understanding and managing these symptoms is crucial.
Symptoms commonly linked with excess saliva include nausea, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, and mouth watering. These can complicate daily activities and lead to further health issues if not promptly addressed.
Nausea and Vomiting
Nausea and vomiting often accompany excessive salivation. The body may produce excess saliva in response to irritants or digestive issues like acid reflux, attempting to neutralize stomach acids.
The combination of nausea and hypersalivation can create a vicious cycle, where each symptom worsens the other.
Difficulty Swallowing
Difficulty swallowing is another common symptom associated with excess saliva. An excessive amount of saliva can create a sensation of fullness, making swallowing difficult and increasing the risk of choking. Neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis and strokes can further complicate swallowing, leading to saliva accumulation.
Mouth Watering
Mouth watering, caused by medical condition such as infections, gastrointestinal issues, and certain medications, can lead to concern, discomfort, difficulty eating and speaking, and oral hygiene problems such as tooth decay and gum disease, including a mouth infection and a watery mouth.
Additionally, it can cause social anxiety and embarrassment due to excessive drooling and visible drooling.
Impact of Certain Foods and Medications
Certain foods and medications can significantly impact saliva production, either increasing or decreasing it. Knowing these effects is crucial for managing excess saliva during illness.
Foods high in sugar and certain medications, particularly those affecting the nervous system, can increase saliva production. Monitoring your diet and medication can help manage saliva levels and reduce discomfort.
Sugary Foods
Sugary foods can stimulate the salivary glands more than other foods, leading to increased salivation as the body tries to neutralize the acidity created by sugar.
Limiting the intake of sugary foods can help manage saliva production more effectively.
Certain Medications
Medications like tricyclic antidepressants, antipsychotics, and anticholinergic medication used in dementia treatment can cause or worsen excessive salivation by stimulating the salivary glands.
Being aware of these effects is essential for managing saliva levels during illness.
Managing Excess Saliva at Home
Managing excessive saliva at home involves practical strategies that can provide relief and improve daily functioning. Methods like dietary changes, using cold objects, and maintaining proper hydration can help control saliva levels.
These home remedies can significantly reduce discomfort and embarrassment from excessive saliva. Simple lifestyle adjustments can help manage saliva production more effectively.
Dietary Changes
Dietary changes are important for managing excessive salivation. Avoiding foods like acidic fruits and alcohol can help reduce saliva production.
Chewing on cold items like ice or popsicles and applying cold compresses to the mouth can also alleviate excessive salivation.
Cold Objects
Cold objects and other cold objects can effectively manage excessive saliva. Their numbing effect can alleviate discomfort and reduce saliva flow.
This simple yet helpful home remedy can be easily implemented to reduce excess saliva and clear saliva.
Hydration and Fluids
Proper hydration helps regulate saliva production and prevent dry mouth. Consuming 8-10 cups of fluids daily balances saliva levels and maintains oral moisture.
Small, frequent sips of fluids throughout the day can help manage excess saliva effectively.
When to Seek Medical Attention
Managing excess saliva at home is possible, but certain situations require professional medical attention from a doctor. Knowing when to seek help ensures underlying conditions are addressed and effective treatments provided.
Managing excessive salivation often requires a multidisciplinary approach, involving various healthcare professionals. Therapeutic interventions and medications may be needed to manage chronic drooling and address underlying causes.
Immediate Medical Attention
Serious medical conditions such as a stroke or carbon monoxide poisoning can cause sudden hypersalivation occurs and require immediate care due to excessive saliva production as a neurological response or physiological stress.
Professional Treatment Options
Professional treatment options for hypersalivation focus on managing saliva production and addressing underlying causes. Anticholinergic medications and beta-blockers may be utilized to decrease saliva flow.
Injectable treatments like botulinum toxin (Botox) can also effectively reduce saliva production.
Long-Term Management Strategies
Long-term management of excessive saliva production combines medical treatments and lifestyle adjustments, aiming to reduce saliva production and improve the quality of life for those with chronic conditions.
Medications like glycopyrrolate and scopolamine patches can lessen saliva production by blocking nerve signals to the salivary glands. In severe cases, surgical options or radiation therapy may be necessary.
Speech Therapy
Speech therapy can be crucial in managing excessive saliva production. A speech therapist enhancing jaw stability, tongue strength, and lip mobility helps individuals control salivation and improve swallowing techniques, including tongue control.
Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle changes can significantly impact the management of excessive saliva production. Good posture can reduce drooling by improving oral control and swallowing techniques.
Changing sleep positions can prevent saliva from escaping during sleep, reducing nighttime drooling.