How to stop excess saliva at night and reduce excessive hypersalivation? What are the main causes of hypersalivation? The symptoms? What are the good natural remedies to reduce drooling? What medical treatments can your doctor recommend? And finally, is hypersalivation dangerous?
I. What Is Hypersalivation?
Hypersalivation, also known as hypersalivation, is a physical phenomenon that manifests itself by the excessive production of saliva. The saliva is so abundant that you have difficulty swallowing, and this causes discomfort daily.
Of course, there are times when it is perfectly normal to produce more saliva, such as when you are hungry.
But with hypersalivation, you may accidentally start drooling and the excessive saliva production is constant.
According to the dictionary: “Sialorrhea should not be confused with hypersialorrhea (excessive saliva secretion). It is observed in people with facial paralysis (the lips no longer retain saliva), whether central or peripheral or with difficulty swallowing, as occurs in the case of epiglottitis (acute inflammation of the epiglottis).
In the first case, sialorrhea is very annoying, but there is no treatment. In the second, it is a symptom of a disease that needs to be treated.”
II. Symptoms of Hypersalivation
The main symptom of hypersalivation is the production of drool. Sufferers frequently find that they have drooled unknowingly, especially at night.
Hypersalivation also forces one to be constantly swallowing the excess saliva. It is not uncommon to have a choking sensation when suffering from hypersalivation. When saliva production causes discomfort due to its quantity, then it is a sign that you suffer from hypersalivation.
In addition, you will normally feel a difference from your usual salivation, perhaps noticing that you spit or swallow more often.
III. Common Causes of Hypersalivation At Night
Various types of oral conditions can cause hypersalivation. These include tooth decay, gingivitis, and canker sores.
Gastroesophageal reflux and the use of certain medications such as tranquilizers or anticonvulsants are also common causes of hypersalivation.
Some pathologies, especially tumors or cancers, can cause hypersalivation. This is the case of esophageal cancer or brain tumor.
Arsenic poisoning also results in excessive saliva production.
It should also be noted that pregnant women are particularly affected by this phenomenon.
IV. How to Stop Excess Saliva At Night & Reduce Hypersalivation?
a) Home Remedies
1. Change Sleeping Positions
By sleeping on your back, you limit your chances of drooling. This is because certain positions encourage excessive saliva production. This is what happens when you sleep on your side.
To make it easier for you to sleep, it’s important to have a comfortable, quality mattress and a good pillow. Sleep with your head slightly elevated, choose a position that will encourage your mouth to stay closed.
2. Drink Enough Water Before Bed and During the Day
Drinking plenty of water is important if you suffer from hypersalivation. It’s even more important if you tend to spit because over time you will become dehydrated. In addition, proper hydration will help thin the saliva in your mouth.
Hydration is not a solution to hypersalivation, but it does help to manage it.
3. Tooth-Brushing
Brushing your teeth can help limit your saliva production. Not only does it improve oral health, but brushing your teeth also helps you deal with excessive saliva production in your mouth.
Choose a mint toothpaste and mouthwash.
4. Grape Juice
Grape juice contains tannins that make the mouth feel dry and reduce saliva production.
So drink a glass of black grape juice every day. But keep in mind that it is a drink that can cause tooth decay or stain your teeth. So, this consumption must go with good oral hygiene.
5. Avoid Foods and Odors that Cause Salivation
Without upsetting your dietary balance, it may be a good idea to cut back on certain foods for a while.
Starchy foods and dairy products, for example, can cause hypersalivation. This is also the case with sugary foods. Limiting your consumption of these different products can help combat your excessive salivation.
As much as possible, avoid tasty cooking smells, which excite the salivary glands.
6. Drink Ginger Tea
Drinking ginger is a pregnant woman’s trick to fight nausea, vomiting, and excessive saliva production.
You can take ginger tea, or even chew some ginger root when you feel nausea. This is an effective way to combat hypersalivation.
b) Medical Treatment
1. Treat Allergies and Sinus Problems
To properly treat hypersalivation, it is important to determine the cause. If you have diagnosed your problem as being associated with your allergies and sinus problems.
Take treatment for your allergies (this may include antihistamines) and sinus pain so that you no longer suffer from hypersalivation.
Untreated sinus problems can cause post-nasal drip and hypersalivation at night.
2. Medication
It is possible to treat hypersalivation with medication. This is the case with Cuvposa, which is a product that blocks the glands’ salivary production. It is a medication frequently used in cases of hypersalivation, although it has some side effects.
So consult your doctor before taking any medication for your hypersalivation.
3. Botox Injections
Botulinum toxin, or Botox, is used for hypersalivation. It is injected directly into the salivary glands and blocks their production of saliva.
It is a temporary solution, used in the case of non-permanent hypersalivation. As always, it is important to know the cause of the phenomenon to treat it properly.
4. Oral Appliance
Mandibular advancement devices are appliances that allow the advancement of the lower jaw, thus clearing the airway.
The oral appliance can be an outlet for excessive saliva production in some cases. If your dentures are poorly sized and responsible for hypersalivation, then changing them will stop the phenomenon.
Also, if the hypersalivation is due to an oral problem when the appropriate denture is fitted, you will not have to worry about it.
5. Surgery
Surgery is another solution for hypersalivation. In this case, the operation consists in making the salivary canals take another path. By rerouting them directly to the back of the throat, the excess saliva produced ends up directly in the throat.
This can be a maxillomandibular advancement surgery or a tonsillectomy. It all depends on the case.
6. Radiation Therapy
Tumors and cancers are also other likely causes of hypersalivation. Therefore, radiation therapy can put an end to the phenomenon by acting on its cause.
Radiation therapy is a common treatment for cancer and tumors. Once you have eliminated the cause of your problem, it will disappear on its own.
V. Is Drooling Dangerous?
We all secrete saliva. Saliva is necessary for the oral health of each individual. Not only does it moisten meals, but it also participates in digestion.
The drool secreted during the night is not, in itself, dangerous.
But in the case of hypersalivation, it becomes particularly annoying. It is not uncommon to have the sensation of choking on one’s own saliva when suffering from this condition. This is why it is necessary to act in case of hypersalivation.
VI. Other Questions About Drooling and Excess Saliva at Night
1. Why Do I Drool in My Sleep?
Drooling at night while sleeping is not necessarily a sign of hypersalivation. It can also be a sign that you are sleeping on your side with your mouth open.
This means that saliva ends up flowing from your mouth to your pillow.
Hypersalivation can occur during the day and awake as well as at night. With hypersalivation, your mouth is constantly full of saliva, which causes you discomfort.
2. How Is Excessive Drooling Diagnosed?
It is not easy to diagnose excessive drooling, as not all people produce the same amount of saliva and drool.
If you suffer from hypersalivation, you will constantly have a sensation of a full mouth.
It is important to seek medical attention when excessive drooling continues over time, as hypersalivation may be a sign of disease.
In children, excessive saliva flows from the chin.
The parent may notice that irritations have formed on the child’s chin because of saliva that has dried there.
3. Why Is My Mouth Producing So Much Saliva Suddenly in the Morning
There are several reasons for morning hypersalivation. It should be noted that there are many causes of hypersalivation. Stress can also be the cause of excessive salivation in the morning.
It is important to monitor the phenomenon for a few days, and then consult a professional if the hypersalivation persists.
4. How to Stop Hypersalivation During Pregnancy
During pregnancy, there are tips to stop hypersalivation. You can turn to the consumption of ginger for example. Ginger can fight nausea and dry the mouth.
Using mentholated mouthwash also limits hypersalivation.
Chewing ice or sugar-free chewing gum can slow down saliva production.
5. How Do You Know if You Have Hypersalivation?
Sometimes it is difficult to diagnose hypersalivation. But a change in the amount of saliva is a good sign.
If your mouth is constantly full of water, causing you to spit or swallow more often, then you may be suffering from hypersalivation.
And one of the simple ways to notice the problem of excessive salivation is the pillow that you find the next day wet.
Notice if it persists, and seek medical attention if it does.
Useful Links:
Management of Drooling of saliva
Placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind study of incobotulinumtoxinA for sialorrhea