The 25-year-old Chinese programmer Xiao Liang was content with his life, spending long hours at his computer, and taking pleasure in his hobbies. However, one morning he noticed something strange—he had been salivating as he slept. He initially assumed it was a strange incident, a one-time event that could have been caused by his fatigue or an unpleasant sleeping posture. Xiao became worried, though, after the drooling persisted for a few nights. After what at first appeared to be a little, innocuous habit turned into a persistent problem, he sought medical assistance.
Xiao Liang saw a doctor and was recommended to have a CT scan to rule out any significant medical issues. He was shocked when the scan showed early evidence of cerebral blood vessel blockage, which, if untreated, could have resulted in a stroke. The realisation that drooling, which is frequently written off as a minor irritation, might occasionally indicate a much more serious underlying health problem, was a wake-up call for Xiao.
As the autonomic nervous system controls numerous automatic body processes, including breathing, digestion, and salivation, it also controls the involuntary action of drooling. Normally, saliva is produced naturally in reaction to eating or while expecting food. However, when the muscles or nerves controlling swallowing are affected, saliva can build up in the mouth, particularly when you’re sleeping. Drooling is usually not a problem for kids because their mouth muscles are still growing, but in adults, continuous drooling can occasionally be an indication of more significant health issues that require attention.
As far as Xiao Liang was concerned, his story served as an illustration of how something as seemingly little as drooling while you sleep can indicate a more serious health issue. It is crucial to know that there are numerous possible reasons why grownups drool frequently. A few are quite innocuous, but others can be connected to more severe ailments that need medical care.
Adult drooling may be brought on by oral health issues. Disorders including gum disease, tooth infections, or dental abscesses can make swallowing painful and difficult, which causes saliva to build up. Drooling when sleeping can occur in those who struggle to control their salivary flow due to certain kinds of oral health conditions. Maintaining proper oral hygiene and scheduling routine dental checkups are crucial for averting these kinds of problems.
Facial paralysis, which can occur after a stroke or even in disorders like Bell’s palsy, is another reason for drooling. Facial muscles, such as those in charge of swallowing and salivation, are affected by facial paralysis. Drooling may result from improperly functioning muscles that affect the efficiency of swallowing saliva. Drooling should be treated right once if it comes with additional symptoms of facial weakness or numbness, as these could be signals of a stroke or another neurological disorder.
Drool may also be a symptom of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Frequent reflux of stomach acid into the oesophagus, which irritates the throat and makes swallowing difficult, is known as GERD. This disorder can cause excessive salivation, which may result in drooling, particularly when the person is in a supine position. Heartburn, regurgitation, and persistent coughing are all frequent symptoms of GERD that can make the condition worse.
The neurodegenerative condition Parkinson’s disease, which impairs muscular coordination and motor control, is one of the more well-known causes of drooling in adults. Saliva buildup in the mouth can occur when Parkinson’s disease worsens because patients may find it difficult to control the swallowing muscles. This may cause drooling, especially if the person is sleeping or in a relaxed state. One of the numerous symptoms of Parkinson’s disease is drooling, which may indicate failing motor skills.
Early symptoms of cerebral thrombosis, a disorder in which blood clots develop in the brain’s blood vessels, impeding circulation and possibly causing damage to brain cells, were found on Xiao Liang’s CT scan. This disorder can cause a number of symptoms, such as paralysis in the face or limbs, difficulty speaking, or drooling. Because cerebral thrombosis might result in a stroke if treatment is not received, early identification is essential. Despite the fact that cerebral thrombosis is not always simple to identify without imaging, Xiao’s case demonstrates how chronic drooling can be a crucial indicator that something is unhealthy.
Alongside these disorders, drooling may also be a secondary symptom of arteriosclerosis, or the hardening of the arteries, which can result in problems with blood supply to the brain. The arteries narrow and stiffen, compromising blood flow to vital parts of the body and making it difficult to control physiological processes like swallowing.
Excessive salivation may also be caused by medications. Some medications might cause negative effects that impact the muscles used for swallowing, especially those used to treat neurological problems, muscular difficulties, or mental health issues. For example, the body’s capacity to regulate saliva may be compromised by antipsychotic drugs, antidepressants, and some anti-seizure medications, which can result in drooling. You should talk to your doctor about any increase in drooling you have while taking medicine to see whether a change in dosage or prescription could help.
You should take action to address the problem of frequent drooling if you or someone you know is experiencing it. Persistent drooling may be an indication of a more significant issue in the body, even though it may appear like a minor and humiliating issue. Drooling is frequently more likely to occur when you sleep on your side or stomach, so assessing your sleeping position is a smart first step. By switching to a back-sleeping posture, you may lessen the chance of saliva building up in your mouth as you sleep.
Another crucial step is to practise better dental hygiene. In order to prevent drooling from infections or tooth decay, you should brush and floss your teeth on a regular basis and see a dentist for regular exams. Because they can cause drooling, it’s also critical to control any illnesses like Parkinson’s disease or GERD. Asking your doctor about possible side effects while taking medicine can help you figure out whether your treatment approach is making the issue worse.
Ultimately, it’s better to see a doctor if you have regular drooling that doesn’t seem to have a definitive cause. Although drooling may not seem like much at first, it can occasionally be a sign of more serious disorders including tooth decay, Parkinson’s disease, or stroke. Early medical consultation can help to guarantee that any possible health problems are found and treated before they worsen.
As demonstrated by Xiao Liang’s case, noticing the small things, such as drooling while you sleep, can help identify underlying medical issues before they become more serious. What could appear to be a little annoyance could be a telling warning from your body. Even when something as trivial as drooling is involved, it’s always preferable to be safe and get expert advice.
