Causes of salivation while sleeping

This is an automatically translated article.

While sleeping, drooling occurs common in both children and adults, especially in the elderly. This condition is usually harmless but can also be a warning sign of a health problem that you need to take care of. So what is drooling sleep? What causes you to drool while sleeping?

1. What is drooling while sleeping?

When sleeping, the muscles in the face and the swallowing reflex are always in a relaxed state, so the amount of saliva in the mouth is accumulated quite a lot. If saliva is stored to a certain limit, the facial muscles will relax and become uncontrollable. In this state, the person is lying on their back, saliva will flow down the stomach and esophagus, but the person is lying on the left or right side, the saliva will flow back to the outside. Because of the state of salivating when sleeping, when you wake up, you will find your blankets and pillows are wet and have an unpleasant smell.
Sleep or drooling is common in all ages, but you should still be alert to find out what drooling is. Sometimes this can be a warning signal for some medical condition, especially in the elderly.

2. What causes sleep or salivation?

Want to know what is drooling while sleeping, first need to learn more deeply about the cause of this condition. Normally, saliva is secreted when there is an external stimulus such as food, color and taste of food, time of eating, images, words or thoughts related to eating, ... Especially sour foods like tamarind and mango easily make the salivary glands work harder. In addition to the usual stimuli, there are also a number of other causes that make you sleep or salivate:
Neuro-psychological problems: Neurological diseases such as autonomic nervous system disorders, neurological disorders ... will cause the salivary glands to be stimulated and secrete more even while sleeping. In addition, the body's stress, sleep disorders, stress, fatigue and depression also easily make sleep or salivation often occur. Eating habits: As mentioned, eating and thinking about food also have a lot of influence on the state of salivating when sleeping. Increased salivation that occurs when sleeping can be caused by regularly eating spicy foods such as pepper, mustard, chili... Besides, eating too much at night is also easy to cause saliva to increase when sleeping. . Dental problems: Uncontrollable salivation while sleeping often occurs in people with dental problems such as sore throat, tooth decay, ulcerative stomatitis,... Digestive problems: Many records show that sleep or salivation is also common in people with digestive disorders, ulcers in the stomach or duodenum,... In addition to the above causes, endocrine system disorders and drinking Some drugs, ... can also affect the state of salivation when sleeping. Drooling is a natural physiological manifestation of the body. However, when sleeping excessively drooling can also warn of health problems in the nervous system, digestion and teeth, even stroke in the elderly ... that you need to be concerned about.

3. Remedies for drooling when sleeping

If drooling occurs frequently when sleeping, it is easy to make your mouth dry and cause bad breath. Here are effective ways to overcome this situation:
Clean the sinuses before sleeping: Cleaning the sinuses helps to prevent nasal congestion when sleeping and you will not have to breathe through your mouth, so saliva little flow out. It is recommended to clean the nasal cavity with specialized products before sleeping so that the nasal cavity is clear and clean. Change position when sleeping: Lying on your left or right side will easily cause saliva to flow into pillows and blankets when sleeping. So, lying on your back is the best way for saliva to flow into the esophagus and stomach instead of out. Should put more pillows to raise your head in the most comfortable position will also help you limit salivation when sleeping. Eat sensibly: Do not eat too many spicy spices such as chili, pepper, mustard, ... to avoid stimulating the salivary glands to increase secretion activity. In addition, not eating too much in the evening also helps you avoid drooling while sleeping. Keep your mind at ease: Keeping your mind at ease, free from stress and tension is also the key to helping you reduce salivation when sleeping. At the same time, sleeping on time and getting enough sleep is also a way to help the body always be full of energy, no longer tired. In general, sleeping or drooling is usually harmless, but if this happens continuously, it will make many people feel uncomfortable and unhygienic. Therefore, you should consider applying methods to overcome this condition or see a doctor if necessary.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.