Also called hypersialorrhea or hypersalivation, excess salivation is often a temporary symptom. Excessive salivation can be a simple sign of hunger. Less pleasantly, it can be linked to an infection of the oral mucosa and in the most extreme cases to a neurological disorder or cancer of the esophagus.

Excess saliva can be caused by too much saliva production, or by a decrease in the ability to swallow or keep saliva in the mouth.

It is rarely an isolated disorder and therefore requires going to see a doctor. This one will be able to establish a diagnosis which will allow him to lavish the adequate treatments. 

There are many causes that can cause excessive salivation. This symptom may be due to an increased production of saliva. Some of the causes include:

• an aphte
• dental infection, oral infection
• irritation from a broken or damaged tooth or improperly installed dentures
• inflammation of the lining of the mouth (stomatitis)
• drug poisoning or taking certain medications, including clozapine, an antipsychotic drug
• inflammation of the tonsils
• inflammation of the pharynx
• nausea, vomiting
• hunger
• stomach problems, such as a stomach ulcer or inflammation of the lining of the stomach (gastritis)
• a liver attack
• problems with the esophagus
• infectious mononucleosis
• gingivitis
• some nervous tics
• nerve damage
• rabies

Excessive salivation can also be associated with early pregnancy. More rarely, this symptom can also be a sign of esophageal cancer, a brain tumor, a neurological disease or even poisoning (with arsenic or mercury for example).

Excessive salivation can also be due to difficulty swallowing. This is particularly the case for the following attacks:

• sinusitis or an ENT infection (laryngitis, etc.)
• an allergy
• a tumor located in the tongue or lips
• Parkinson’s disease
• cerebral palsy
• a stroke (cerebrovascular accident)
• multiple sclerosis

Excessive salivation is an annoying symptom, which can have aesthetic, psychological and medical consequences.

Hypersialorrhea can lead to a decrease in social isolation, speech disorders, social discomfort, but also promote oral infections, “false routes” during meals, and even so-called aspiration pneumonia.

The first step in treating excessive salivation is to determine what the specific cause is. Anticholinergic drugs, adrenergic receptor agonists, beta blockers or even botulinum toxin may be prescribed in some cases.

Rehabilitation (speech therapy) can be useful in controlling sialorrhea when it is related to stroke, for example, or neurological damage.

Sometimes surgery may be indicated.