Why Do I Drool When I Sleep? The Causes and How To Cope With It – If babies or children who sleep in drool may look cute. However, what happens if such an older person? If you are one of those who like to drool while sleeping, don’t worry because you are not alone. However, drool sleep can also indicate certain health problems.
Older People sleep drool, is it natural?
Infants and children sleep more often drooling because they do not have strong control over the muscles of the mouth and jaw that support their ability to swallow. This is a natural thing. The cases of drool sleep in older people are also generally reasonable, because there are some people who sleep with the mouth open or from his sleep position.
Read also: Sleeping With Mouth Open: Causes and 6 Ways To Stop It
During sleep, all bodily functions are rested, except for the heart, lungs and brain. This means the muscles of the body, including the facial muscles and around the mouth will relax through the night. During sleep, the brain will continue to instruct the mouth to produce saliva. But because your swallowing reflex death for a while, saliva will flood in the mouth.
At the same time, the ability of the oral muscles is also reduced to keep the saliva from coming out while you sleep. As a result, you are so drool at bedtime. Plus sleep in a side position eases the mouth to open, so the saliva can flow out easier.
According to a scientific study published in the journal of Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, oral Pathology, oral radiology, and endodontology, drool when sleeping occurs during the coordination of the swallowing mechanism, causing saliva excessive stacking in the mouth, and flowing out.
In one other scientific study published in the British Journal of Medical Practitioners, the production of excessive saliva and the inability of the mouth to hold it could also be the cause.
Many people who experience drool while sleeping, have weak nervous problems. Like suffering from stroke or cerebral palsy. And their drool problems can be very severe, until it can result in dehydration, bad breath, cracked skin and other problems.
Why Do I Drool When I Sleep? Health Conditions That Cause Drool While Sleeping
To answer the question, Why Do I Drool When I Sleep? Here are certain health conditions that cause drool while sleeping:
Allergies
If we are allergic to certain foods or rhinitis allergies, saliva production will increase even when we sleep.
GERD
This disease called gastroesophageal reflux disease makes gastric acid rise to the esophagus and eventually triggers excessive saliva production.
Sinus infections
Sinus infections can trigger respiratory disorders and swallowing difficulties that make us tend to breathe with the mouth while sleeping. It can also trigger more saliva production when sleeping.
Tonsillitis
Tonsillitis occurs because the tonsillar gland in the throat is experiencing inflammation. This will make the tonsils swell and disrupt the rate of saliva towards the esophagus and eventually make the saliva accumulate in the mouth that can make us drool while sleeping.
Consumption of certain medications
Certain types of medications such as anti-depressants can make saliva production increase.
Sleep disorders
Some types of sleep disorders such as delirious or sleeping runs often also accompanied by the habit of the drool.
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How to not drool while sleeping
Clean the snot.
One of the main causes of drool when sleeping is nasal congestion.
The stuffy nose makes the sufferer breathe through the mouth, causing drooling.
The best way to solve this problem is by removing the snot.
Change in sleeping position.
Sleeping on a stomach or side may increase the chances of drool.
Therefore, You should sleep on your back so that the saliva produced during sleep stays in the mouth.
Lose weight.
More than half of the population in the U.S. who suffer from sleep apnea are overweight or obese.
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Don’t take the wrong medicine.
If You take any medication, make sure it doesn’t cause excessive saliva production.
Some antibiotics can cause hypersalivation and are the cause of the saliva.
Keep the head height
Ensure that the head on the pillow while sleeping can reduce the risk of the drool
Surgery.
Sometimes a doctor may suggest surgery and remove the gland.
It is usually taken when there are serious neurological problems hiding behind hypersalivation.
Of course before doing so, each doctor will try the non surgical method first and offer an surgery if the first option is unsuccessful.
Video Explanation: Why Do I Drool When I Sleep and How To Stop It
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