Saliva is a fluid in the body that performs important functions. After food enters the oral cavity, the process of digestion of food begins with the help of enzymes that are in saliva. It also moistens food so that it is comfortable to swallow and feel the taste of food. Saliva neutralizes alkali and acid, and also protects against various microbes.
Quite often, people turn to medical institutions with the question of why blood appeared in saliva. If everything is normal in the body, then there should be no blood. If it is, then it is necessary to find out the causes and determine the correct treatment. It is important to understand that saliva with blood can be both a safe phenomenon and a sign of a dangerous pathology.
Bloody discharge can be classified according to the daily volume: true hemoptysis (not more than 50 ml), light bleeding (not more than 100 ml), medium (up to 500 ml), profuse (up to 1000 ml).
Other organs
Blood in saliva can come from the gums, tongue, lips, and nasopharynx. A fairly common cause is dental disease. Often with gingivitis or periodontitis, you can find blood when brushing your teeth. It can also happen if you use a hard toothbrush. In such a case, you need to contact your dentist, who will prescribe the right treatment and give recommendations on choosing a brush and brushing your teeth.
Mucosal damage often occurs in smokers, who may notice blood when spitting up. Also saliva with blood can be detected after a nosebleed.
Causes of saliva with blood
Everyone understands that the saliva of a healthy person cannot contain blood and that when it appears, problems in the functioning of the body are possible.
Blood in saliva can be detected when the mucous membranes of the throat are damaged, for example, with a strong cough. This can be one-time, but if it constantly appears, then this indicates serious violations. In any case, it would be more correct to consult a doctor immediately in order to exclude pathologies and establish the correct diagnosis. Before visiting a doctor, you can use cough medicines: various decoctions and infusions.
Also, saliva with blood can be a signal of heart problems. With many diseases of the heart and blood vessels that weaken the heart muscle, blood stasis forms in the human lungs. In this regard, a cough, foamy saliva with streaks of blood may appear. It is impossible to independently diagnose and prescribe treatment. You should immediately contact a cardiologist when the first symptoms appear. Treatment for heart failure can only be prescribed by a specialist in this field and only after a thorough examination and testing.
The development of bronchitis and pneumonia can also contribute to the appearance of blood in saliva. You can understand what exactly this caused by the following symptoms: fever, chest pain, general weakness, chills. It is important to understand that in case of lung diseases, it is necessary to seek qualified help. Self-medication in this case is strictly prohibited, it is important to clearly follow all the recommendations of the attending doctor.
Another cause of this disorder is a lung tumor. Smokers are at risk for many diseases, including cancer. Qualified consultation and diagnostics in a specialized institution will make it possible to make a diagnosis, followed by treatment according to the classification of the disease.
Also, saliva with blood can appear as a result of a disease such as pulmonary embolism – blood clots entering the lungs. The main symptom of the disease is a copious amount of rich red blood in the saliva. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, rapid pulse, and chest pain. Usually, with a pulmonary embolism, one leg swells, and the temperature rises. Within a few days, the blood turns dark red. The risk group usually includes smokers, women taking contraceptives, and also suffering from thrombophlebitis of the lower extremities.
Also, this problem can be a consequence of pulmonary tuberculosis. It is this assumption that occurs in almost all people who have noticed blood in the oral cavity. In this case, it should once again be reminded of how important it is to carry out fluorography on time. Unfortunately, statistics show an increase in the incidence of tuberculosis. Therefore, at the first appearance of even a small amount of blood in saliva, a fluorography should be done immediately and this dangerous disease should be excluded. If tuberculosis is still detected, there is no need to despair and follow all the doctor’s recommendations, tuberculosis is curable.
The most dangerous cause of blood is an oncological problem. With a lung tumor, a moderate cough may be observed. Any oncological disease can be treated only if it is diagnosed in time. An oncological disease detected in the late stages requires long-term and complex treatment. Therefore, it is very important to carry out diagnostics in a timely manner, take tests and undergo medical examinations.
It is worth noting that the presence of a taste of blood without its presence can also indicate a serious illness. It can be a disease of the heart and blood vessels, the gastrointestinal tract and many other organs.
Any alarming symptoms are a reason to contact a medical institution for qualified help. You should not let the disease take its course, as the timely detection of pathology will help to avoid many health problems.
- Sources of
- Vertkin A. L. – Hemoptysis. – “Exmo LLC”, 2016