Table of contents:
- Adults sleep drool, is it natural?
- Drooling fever may be a sign of certain health problems
- How to stop drooling while sleeping?
- When to see a doctor?
If babies or children who sleep drool may look cute. However, what happens if an adult is like that? If you are one of those people who drool while sleeping, don't worry because you are not alone. However, sleeping drooling can also indicate certain health problems.
Adults sleep drool, is it natural?
Infants and young children sleep drool more often because they do not yet have strong control over the mouth and jaw muscles that support their ability to swallow. This is normal. The case of drooling sleep in adults is also generally normal, because there are some people who sleep with their mouths open or from their sleeping position.
During sleep, all body functions are rested except for the heart, lungs and brain. This means that the muscles of the body, including the muscles of the face and around the mouth, will relax throughout the night. During sleep, the brain will continue to command the mouth to produce saliva. However, because your swallowing reflex "dies" for a while, saliva will pool in your mouth.
At the same time, the ability of your mouth muscles is reduced to keep saliva from escaping while you sleep. As a result, you drool while sleeping. Plus sleeping on your side makes it easier for your mouth to open, so saliva can flow out more easily.
Drooling fever may be a sign of certain health problems
Drooling sleep is basically harmless. Even so, drooling while sleeping may indicate certain health problems and drooling can also occur even when you are conscious, such as:
- Sinus infection.
- Sore throat due to Streptococcus bacteria.
- Tonsillitis.
- Epiglottitis
- Allergy
- GERD
- Nasal structure
- Swollen tongue
- Anaphylactic reaction
There are also other causes related to nervous system disorders that make the sufferer have difficulty swallowing, such as:
- Cerebral palsy
- Parkinson's disease
- Down Syndrome
- Multiple sclerosis
How to stop drooling while sleeping?
For those of you who often drool while sleeping, try to limit sweet and sugary foods. Reported on the Verywell page, eating lots of sweet foods increases saliva production. So that, it could be more saliva that collects during sleep.
In addition, change your sleeping position. Keep your head higher and don't sleep on your side with your mouth open.
If this drooling is caused by a disease condition, the treatment will vary depending on the cause. For example, if it is caused by strep throat, the medicine is an antibiotic. If drooling is caused by an allergic or anaphylactic reaction, the remedy is an injection of epinephrine and an antihistamine drug.
If your drooling is caused by severe tonsils, they will likely need to be removed. Excess saliva production can also be treated with botox injections or the use of patches containing scopolamine.
When to see a doctor?
If you find that this is excessive drooling, consult your doctor. Especially if you severely limit your social interactions with people around you and are accompanied by other symptoms such as difficulty breathing, swelling of your lips or face, and you often choke on your own saliva.
Severe drooling can cause skin irritation and damage. Also in serious cases too much saliva can pool in the throat. When you inhale, this can increase the risk of developing a lung infection called aspiration pneumonia.
