Why do you drool while sleeping? Here are some tips on how to prevent and treat it

We often see that babies drool while sleeping, which is considered normal. However, some adults also drool while sleeping. It is not a big deal if it happens occasionally, but if it happens for a long time, you should pay attention. So what is the reason for drooling while sleeping? How to prevent and treat drooling? Let the editor take you to learn about it below.

Reasons for drooling while sleeping

If you lie on the table or sleep on your side when you sleep, these are improper sleeping postures, which will cause drooling. If this happens for a long time, it may be caused by some physical illness, so everyone should pay attention to it.

There are four common factors that cause drooling while sleeping:

1. Malformation of front teeth: Malformation of teeth is an important cause of drooling while sleeping. Especially for patients with convex tooth deformity, the front teeth protrude more obviously, and the lips are often open and the teeth are exposed. It is difficult for the lips to completely cover the front teeth when sleeping, and the upper and lower lips often separate naturally, which makes it easy to drool. It is best for such patients to correct their teeth as soon as possible.

2. Poor oral hygiene: The temperature and humidity in the mouth are most suitable for the reproduction of bacteria. The accumulation of food residues or sugar substances in the gaps between teeth and on the tooth surfaces can easily lead to caries and periodontal disease. Inflammation in the mouth increases saliva secretion. If the mouth is infected by bacteria, there will be obvious pain and drooling. Local medication is needed to promote ulcer healing and the drooling will disappear automatically.

If the saliva you drool while sleeping turns your pillowcase into a light yellow color and tastes salty, it may be caused by poor oral hygiene. Food residues in your mouth accumulate over time and turn into tartar, causing gum inflammation and bleeding.

3. Drug factors: In addition, one of the side effects of taking certain anti-epileptic drugs is drooling, so you need to be careful when choosing drugs.

4. Neuroregulatory disorders: In addition to the above-mentioned oral problems, some systemic diseases may also cause drooling while sleeping. The regulation of saliva secretion is completely neuroreflexive. The so-called "looking at the plum to quench thirst" is an example of conditioned reflex saliva secretion in daily life. Therefore, disorders in neural regulation may also cause drooling while sleeping. Some patients with neurosis or other systemic diseases that may cause autonomic nervous system disorders may experience abnormal excitement of the parasympathetic nerves during sleep, which can cause the brain to send erroneous signals and lead to increased saliva secretion.