Daytime Sleep Drooling: Why It Happens And What To Do

Drooling during sleep is a common occurrence that can be caused by a variety of factors. While it is often harmless, it can also indicate an underlying health condition. In this article, we will explore the potential causes of drooling while sleeping and provide insights into possible treatments or remedies. From sleeping positions to medical conditions, we will delve into the reasons why you may be drooling in your sleep and offer guidance on when to seek medical advice.

Sleeping position

If you are a side or stomach sleeper, changing your sleeping position is the easiest way to prevent drooling. Sleeping on your back can help to minimise drooling. You can also try to keep your mouth closed as you sleep, for example, by using mouth tape.

Mouth breathing

Causes of Mouth Breathing

• Enlarged adenoids: Adenoids are glands that protect young children from bacteria and viruses. Sometimes they become swollen or infected, blocking children's airways.
• Nasal congestion: Allergies, colds, or chronic sinusitis can cause a persistent stuffy nose, making it difficult to breathe through the nose.
• Deviated septum: When the septum, the cartilage and bone that divide the inside of the nose, leans to one side, it can block the airway.

Symptoms of Mouth Breathing

• Dry mouth: Breathing through the mouth while sleeping dries the saliva that keeps the mouth moist.
• Bad breath: Mouth breathing affects saliva flow, which usually keeps the mouth clean.
• Drooling: Saliva that collects in the mouth may seep out if the mouth is open.
• Malocclusion: This occurs when the upper and lower teeth don't align.

Treatment for Mouth Breathing

Healthcare providers treat mouth breathing with surgery or medication to enable people to breathe through their nose. Treatments include:

• Adenoidectomy: Removing infected or swollen adenoids to open up children's airways.
• Septoplasty: Surgery to repair a deviated septum that may be causing breathing problems.
• Medication: To ease congestion that keeps people from breathing through their noses.

Health conditions

Drooling during sleep can be a symptom of an underlying health condition. It is important to consult a medical professional if drooling is a concern. They can assess your symptoms and provide personalized advice on reducing drooling through lifestyle changes, medications, or other strategies.

Sleep apnea

People with sleep apnea are more likely to breathe through their mouths, which can increase drooling while sleeping. Sleep apnea is a condition that causes temporary pauses in breathing while asleep. Mouth breathing often accompanies or worsens sleep apnea. People with sleep apnea are also more likely to experience sleep bruxism, or teeth grinding, which can also increase the likelihood of drooling.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

GERD causes stomach acid to flow back up the oesophagus, which can damage the mouth, teeth, and oesophagus. People with GERD are more likely to experience irritated mouth tissue that leads to hypersalivation, causing them to drool more while they sleep. GERD can also cause dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, which is another common cause of drooling.

Neurological conditions

Neurological conditions can often lead to difficulty swallowing and excessive saliva production, resulting in increased drooling during the day and night. Common neurological conditions that cause swallowing issues and, in turn, drooling, include stroke, cerebral palsy, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Bell's palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and vitamin B12 deficiency.

Infections

Infections such as strep throat, mononucleosis, tonsillitis, and sinus infections can lead to increased drooling. An infection of the epiglottis, or epiglottitis, can also cause drooling. Epiglottitis is a life-threatening condition that causes swelling of the epiglottis, a piece of cartilage in the back of the throat that aids in swallowing.

Medication side effects

Certain medications can cause excessive salivation as a side effect, including some antibiotics, antipsychotic drugs, and medications used to treat Alzheimer's disease. If drooling is listed as a potential side effect of your medication, do not stop taking it. Instead, speak with your doctor about your concerns and ask if they can recommend an alternative medication.

Medications

Types of Medication that May Cause Drooling

• Antipsychotics, such as clozapine and risperidone
• Antibiotics
• Anticholinergic agents
• Cholinergic agonists, such as Urecholine (bethanechol) and Salagen (pilocarpine)
• Indirect muscarinic stimulants, such as Aricept (donepezil), Razadyne (galantamine), and Exelon (rivastigmine)
• Benzodiazepines, such as Xanax (alprazolam), Librium (chlordiazepoxide), and Valium (diazepam)
• Sedatives
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Medications for Alzheimer's disease and dementia
• Medications for traumatic brain injury

Treatments for Drooling

If you are concerned about drooling during sleep, there are several treatment options available:

• Changing your sleep position: Sleeping on your back can reduce the amount of saliva that flows out of your mouth.
• Treating allergies: Allergies can cause nasal congestion, which can lead to mouth breathing and drooling. Treating allergies can help open up the sinuses and reduce mouth breathing.
• Speech therapy: Speech therapy can help strengthen the tongue and jaw muscles, improving stability and swallowing, which can reduce drooling.
• Medications: Anticholinergic agents can be taken orally, under the tongue, or in patch form to reduce saliva production.
• Surgery: In severe cases, surgery may be recommended to tie, reroute, or remove the salivary glands.
• Botox injections: Injecting botulinum toxin into the salivary glands can help decrease saliva production.

Allergies and infections

If you have allergies, you might experience nasal congestion after breathing in allergens like dust, pollen, or animal dander. This congestion can lead to mouth breathing, which can cause drooling. Allergy treatment can help open up your sinuses and enable you to breathe more through your nose, reducing drooling.

Infections like the common cold, strep throat, and sinus infections can also cause inflammation in your sinuses and block your airways, leading to mouth breathing and increased drooling.

Frequently asked questions