Drooling at night: When to worry and how to stop it
Although drooling is a natural occurrence, in some cases it should be a cause for concern. If your pillow is wet with saliva when you wake up, you should familiarize yourself with this information. It may be a warning for you.
Saliva production is a continuous process that also occurs during sleep. Although drooling at night is generally not a bad thing, for some people, it should be a warning. When should we be concerned? What does excessive drooling mean?
Drooling during sleep
The first thing to know is that drooling during sleep is natural. If you wake up with a pillow wet with saliva, you don't need to panic immediately. Saliva might have dripped onto the pillow due to your sleeping position. You are more susceptible if you sleep on your side or stomach with your mouth open.
Another issue is taking medications that cause excessive saliva production, even during sleep. Such medications include certain antibiotics, psychotropic drugs, and those used to treat Alzheimer's disease. Allergies and congested sinuses, which force mouth breathing, can also increase saliva production.
Very rarely, but it does happen that drooling is one of the symptoms of more serious diseases, including neurological ones. It can mean the beginning of a stroke, brain damage, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Huntington’s disease. If there is any suspicion that something is wrong, you should contact a doctor as soon as possible.
How to minimize drooling?
Depending on the problem, there are several ways to minimize drooling.
- If your drooling is related to your sleeping position, make sure to sleep on your back, not on your side or stomach.
- If drooling results from allergies, it is recommended to contact a doctor and start appropriate treatment.
- Excessive drooling can also be alleviated with Botox injections or, if necessary, with orthodontic treatment and the use of night appliances.
