Drooling and various treatments to overcome this issue
Posted on: 25/Aug/2018 10:13:48 AM
Also known as hypersalivation or sialorrhea, drooling is a medical condition that is present in many of us. It is worthy to mention that this drooling or excess saliva coming from mouth happens during our sleeping. Produced by the salivary glands in our mouth, saliva is a clear liquid. Every day a healthy person produces 0.75 to 1.5litres of saliva. The saliva production increases during the eating and reaches the lowest during sleeping. It is said that this drooling could be either temporary or chronic.
When associated with fever or trouble in swallowing, this drooling might be a sign of issues like retropharyngeal abscess, tonsillitis, strep throat, mononucleosis etc. This drooling when present in infants is ok but when present in the youngsters and adults it is highly embarrassing.
Causes for drooling:
Drooling could result due to the presence of infection in the mouth, due to stroke, due to cerebral palsy etc. This issue could also be due to blocked sinuses or due to sleeping position, due to GERD condition, sleep apnea, dysphagia etc.
These are few effective treatments for this issue of drooling in us.
Home remedies:
It is well known that saliva plays an important role of keeping our body protected against many infections. This saliva becomes an issue when it gets accumulated in our mouth in excess amounts. Then drooling takes place. This could be overcome by drinking more water or by biting lemon wedge etc.
Sleeping position:
This is also one important way to stop drooling. Sleeping on our backs would solve this issue of drooling in us. It is necessary to consult a doctor when sleeping on our backs is difficult as it might be due to a health issue.
By getting rid of cold, blocked noses etc:
Difficulties in breathing takes place when we have cold, sinuses and blocked noses. By getting rid of these issues breathing would become easier and drooling would be reduced.
Botox injections:
In those persons having some neurological disorders, botulinum toxin or botox injections are used to treat this drooling issue. It is important to note that botox injection is given by the doctors in the salivary glands and these glands get paralysed and stop functioning. By this drooling is stopped.
Speech therapy:
A doctor may recommend for speech therapy depending on the cause of drooling issue. By this speech therapy mobility of the jaw is improved plus strength of the tongue and its mobility also gets improved. Closing the lips fully is possible by this. This process might take time but could decrease drooling slowly by making the person to swallow properly.
Medications:
Medicines such as hyoscine and glycopyrrolate etc are given to persons with neurological issues in them. Nerve impulses get obstructed by these medicines before they reach the salivary glands and drooling is stopped.
By oral appliance:
To assist with swallowing, an oral appliance is placed in the mouth. It is brought out that this device helps in tongue positioning and d proper closure of lips. By this the drooling is decreased.
