The mouth regularly produces saliva. This saliva helps break down food into smaller compounds even when they are still in the mouth and traveling down the digestive tract. The salivary glands normally produce 1 to 2 quarts of saliva every day. If more than this amount is produced in a day, then there could be associated with various problems in the mouth.
Excessive saliva can be defined as a condition when the mouth produces more than 2 quarts of saliva in a day. Here are some common problems experienced by individuals who salivate more than normal,
- This can often be seen when the person sputters saliva while talking.
- Excess saliva could be the culprit as to why some people talk with a slur in the words they speak.
- Having excess saliva is not really a serious or a life threatening condition. However, it could cause embarrassing situations. Also, it could mean an underlying medical problem that should be treated as soon as possible.
Excess Saliva in Mouth Causes
There are a number of possible causes as to why a person can have excess saliva.
- Pregnancy. During early pregnancy, there is a substantial change in the hormonal profile of the female, which is often associated with increased production of saliva from the salivary glands. This is often associated with morning sickness, which is a condition associated with the first trimester of pregnancy.
- Occassionally, there could be some form of tumors or polyps within the salivary glands which may result in excessive production of saliva.
- Occasionally overproduction of saliva may be observed in cases of parotid gland inflammation and swelling. This inflammation and swelling may or may not be associated with infections.
- Certain medications stimulate the salivary glands to produce more saliva.
- Under normal conditions, swallowing takes place naturally, which helps in the drainage of saliva from the mouth. In individuals who have a problem with swallowing, the mouth is not regularly drained of saliva, which may result in excessive accumulation of saliva in the oral cavity, which in turn may result in the problem. Dental fixtures in the mouth may also result in increased salivation in the mouth. These dental fixtures can include dentures, braces, retainers, etc.
Excess Saliva in Mouth Treatment
For the appropriate treatment of the problem, it is of pertinent importance to identify the cause for the condition. The treatment for excess saliva will depend on what caused the problem.
- If the excessive salivary production is due to pregnancy, then there is no direct cure for that, of course.. However, it is recommended that the female consume small quantities of food at frequent intervals to reduce the nausea.
- Problems such as tumors and polyps in the salivary glands could be solved by surgical removal.
- Stopping certain medications might also help solve the problem. However, consult the doctor before stopping any medication.