Sialorrhea is an excessive flow of saliva beyond the margin of lips. It is hypersalivation, ptyalism, or drooling.
The salivary glands that produce saliva start producing more saliva than usual.
When the extra saliva starts collecting then it flows out of the mouth unintentionally.
It is associated with neurological disorders or localized structural (anatomical) disturbances in the oral cavity.
Salivation in patients below the age of four is not a matter of concern but in patients above the age of four, hypersalivation can be pathological.
Sialorrhea Types
Sialorrhea can be classified based upon the duration of symptoms or location of pathology.
Based on the duration of symptoms, sialorrhea can be of two types acute or chronic.
1. Acute sialorrhea:
In case of an infection, the mouth may produce excess saliva to flush out the bacteria. In these cases, hypersalivation stops after the infection subsides.
2. Chronic sialorrhea:
A constant excessive flow of saliva indicates an underlying condition disease that affects the muscle controlling power. It can be an early sign of the disease.
Depending on the location, sialorrhoea can be of two types.
1. Anterior sialorrhea:
Anterior sialorrhea is the drooling of saliva over the lower lip.
2. Posterior sialorrhea:
Posterior sialorrhea is the flowing of saliva backward, from the tongue to the pharynx.
Sialorrhea Causes
Causes of acute or chronic sialorrhea can be different. Let’s take a look at the causes of sialorrhea.
Causes of acute sialorrhea:
Acute sialorrhea can be caused by a variety of causes such as
Infection
Cavities
Acid reflux
Pregnancy
Certain medications
Toxin exposure, for example, mercury
In acute sialorrhea, symptoms subside by treating the underlying cause of the disease.
Causes of chronic sialorrhea:
Long-standing or constant hypersalivation or excessive drooling can be caused by an underlying health condition such as diseases that affect muscle control.
This interferes with the ability to swallow and leads to saliva build-up in the mouth.
Intellectual disabilities
Enlarged tongue
Facial nerve palsy
Cerebral palsy
Stroke
Parkinson’s disease
ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
Sialorrhea Symptoms
Symptoms of salivation mainly include drooling, excessive swallowing, and spitting.
The patient may have chapped lips.
Damage to the skin around the mouth due to softening.
Infection occurs in the skin area around the mouth.
Foul smell coming from the mouth or bad breath.
Dehydration occurs due to the loss of fluid from the body.
Disturbances in speech lead to difficulty in maintaining conversations.
Alteration in the taste of the mouth.
Social anxiety while in public. The patient may have psychological impacts due to sialorrhea.
Patients with hypersalivation may inhale food, fluid or saliva into their lungs which may lead to pneumonia.
Risk Factors for Sialorrhea
Certain risk factors can make the patient more prone to getting sialorrhea. Let’s take a look at them one by one in detail.
Age:
Drooling in infants is considered normal. It may be at its peak during three to six months of life or teething.
Neurological disorders:
Neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy, and Parkinson’s disease can cause the inability to control facial muscles and swallow saliva.
This leads to the collection of saliva in the mouth and its hypersecretion.
Diet:
Consuming too much acidic food may trigger increased saliva production.
Acid reflux:
People who are suffering from acid reflux i.e., backward flow of food or fluid from the stomach or esophagus ( food pipe ) to the mouth are at risk to develop sialorrhea.
Pregnancy:
Pregnancy can lead to increased pressure in the stomach and easy acid reflux which can cause sialorrhea.
Infection:
Mouth infections and throat infections cause an increase in the production of saliva in the mouth.
Tumors:
Tumors in the mouth or neck region can also disturb saliva production and lead to sialorrhea.
Diagnosis of Sialorrhea
The doctor can make a diagnosis of sialorrhea based on the symptoms.
However, to determine the underlying causes, certain tests can be advised.
The doctor will take the history of the symptoms in detail and then perform a physical examination of the mouth.
He may examine swelling, inflammation, bad smell from the mouth or bleeding if any.
The doctor may use scale systems to determine the severity of sialorrhea.
He may check for mouth control, swallowing ability and jaw controlling abilities.
He may look out for associated structural pathology such as tumor’s, tonsils, sinus airways.
Sialorrhea Management
Sialorrhea can be a disturbing disease both physically and psychologically.
It can cause the patient to maintain social isolation due to a lack of confidence.
Along the medical treatment, certain management tips can be followed to aid the recovery and improve the quality of life of the patient.
Let’s discuss the management tips in detail.
Speech therapy:
For sialorrhea patients with neurological disorders, speech therapy is helpful to develop muscle-controlling ability.
Posture and head control can help sialorrhea patients to improve their symptoms.
Home remedies:
Saliva production can be reduced by drinking plenty of water. Tooth brushing and maintaining mouth hygiene are extremely important to prevent complications.
It is important to treat the underlying cause such as infections in the case of acute sialorrhea and other diseases that may cause chronic sialorrhea.
Management tips should be followed according to the underlying disease to aid in the fast recovery of the patient.
Best Homeopathic Medicines for Sialorrhea
Homeopathy offers a gentle, quick and permanent solution for sialorrhea patients.
The treatment in homeopathy is holistic and natural. It differs from patient to patient depending upon the symptoms, severity and duration of complaints.
Many beneficial and fast-acting homeopathic remedies can treat sialorrhea completely.
These medicines can be given to patients of every age and sex including infants, small children, young adults, adults and older age groups.
The selection of remedy for a particular patient depends upon the symptoms he is experiencing and on the underlying disease.
These are very mild and safe medicines with great efficiency without any adverse effects on the patient’s health.
Let’s take a look at the top homeopathic indicated remedies for sialorrhea one by one in detail.
1. MERC SOL: For sialorrhea with salivary secretions greatly increased
Symptoms:
Merc sol patient has a sweet metallic taste in the mouth. The salivary secretions are greatly increased and are bloody and viscid.
The saliva is fetid and coppery in taste. The patient has speech difficulty on the account of a trembling tongue.
The gums are spongy and bleed easily. The whole mouth remains moist.
The teeth are loose, they feel tender and elongated.
One of the characteristic features of the Merc sol patient is that he has a furrow in the upper part of the tongue, lengthwise.
The tongue is heavy, thick, flabby and has a moist coating with teeth imprinted.
The mouth feels burnt as if from ulcers. The patient is having extremely foul smell in the mouth. There is great thirst with a moist mouth.
Potency and dosage:
Merc sol 1M can be taken as four pills or drops once a week till improvement occurs. Merc sol 200CH can be taken as four pills or drops once daily till improvement occurs.
Merc sol in 30CH can be taken as four pills or drops twice daily till improvement occurs.
2. BORAX: For sialorrhea with aphthous in the mouth
Symptoms:
Borax is a wonderful remedy for patients with sialorrhea who have aphthous in their mouths.
There is a white fungus-like growth in the mouth. The mouth of the patient is hot and tender.
Mouth ulcers bleed on touch and eating. The patient may have painful gumboil in the mouth.
The taste in the mouth becomes bitter. One of the characteristic symptoms of the Borax patient is that there is a taste of cellar mould in his mouth.
There is excessive secretion of the saliva causing difficulty in swallowing and eating.
Potency and dosage:
Borax 1M can be taken as four pills or drops once a week till improvement occurs. Borax 200CH can be taken as four pills or drops once daily till improvement occurs.
Borax in 30CH can be taken as four pills or drops twice daily till improvement occurs.
3. NATRUM MUR: For sialorrhea with numbness and trembling of the tongue
Symptoms:
Natrum Mur is a leading remedy for sialorrhea patients. The patient has a frothy coating on the tongue with bubbles on the side.
A sense of dryness with numbness and trembling of the tongue, lips and nose is present.
There are burning vesicles in the mouth as if there is hair on it. The patient develops pearl-like eruptions around the mouth.
The lips and mouth become dry, ulcerated and cracked due to the excessive salivation.
There is a dip crack in the middle of the lower lip of the Natrum Mur patient.
The patient has a mapped tongue with a loss of taste. There is a large vesicle on the lower lip which is swollen and burning.
The mouth produces excessive saliva which drools from the corners of the mouth.
Potency and dosage:
Natrum Mur 1M can be taken as four pills or drops once a week till improvement occurs. Natrum Mur 200CH can be taken as four pills or drops once daily till improvement occurs.
Natrum Mur in 30CH can be taken as four pills or drops twice daily till improvement occurs.
4. LYSSINUM: For sialorrhea with constant spitting
Symptoms:
Lyssinum is one of the leading remedies for the treatment of sialorrhea.
The characteristic feature which is important for the selection of Lyssinum is that the patient constantly spits.
The saliva is tough and viscid. The patient develops a sore throat with a constant desire to swallow to the hypersecretion of the saliva in the mouth.
The patient with Lyssinum gags when swallowing water. There are froths at the mouth.
When these symptoms match, Lyssinum is the most suitable choice of remedy.
Potency and dosage:
Lyssinum 1M can be taken as four pills or drops once a week till improvement occurs. Lyssinum 200CH can be taken as four pills or drops once daily till improvement occurs.
Lyssinum in 30CH can be taken as four pills or drops twice daily till improvement occurs.
5. BARYTA CARB: For sialorrhea with paralysis of the tongue
Symptoms:
Baryta carb is one of the tops indicated remedies for the patient so sialorrhea who suffer from neurological disorders.
It is a very helpful remedy for sialorrhea patients who are suffering from paralysis of the tongue.
The patient awakes with a dry mouth. The gums of the Baryta carb patient record and bleed.
The mouth is filled with inflamed vesicles. There is a foul taste in the mouth.
The patient complains of a smarting and burning sensation on the tip of the tongue.
The is dribbling of the saliva from the mouth at the dawn. This is also a good remedy for patients who suffer from hypersalivation due to the spasm of the oesophagus and acid reflux.
Potency and dosage:
Baryta carb 1M can be taken as four pills or drops once a week till improvement occurs. Baryta carb 200CH can be taken as four pills or drops once daily till improvement occurs.
Baryta carb in 30CH can be taken as four pills or drops twice daily till improvement occurs.
6. SILICEA: For sialorrhea with a sensation of hair on the tongue
Symptoms:
Silicea is a very helpful remedy to treat excessive salivation in patients who have a sensation of hair on the tongue.
The gums of a Silicea patient are sensitive to cold. There are boils on the gums.
Hypersalivation with abscesses on the root of teeth can be treated by this remedy.
It can treat sialorrhea due to infection in the mouth such as pyorrhea i.e., pus discharge from the root of teeth due to gum infections.
When these symptoms match, Silicea is the best choice of remedy.
Potency and dosage:
Silicea 1M can be taken as four pills or drops once a week till improvement occurs. Silicea 200CH can be taken as four pills or drops once daily till improvement occurs.
Silicea in 30CH can be taken as four pills or drops twice daily till improvement occurs.
7. NITRIC ACID: For Sialorrhea with bleeding gums
Symptoms:
The patient is having excessive secretion of saliva with a bad smell in the mouth.
There is bleeding from the gums with painful blisters at the sides of the tongue.
The tongue appears clean, and wet with a furrow in the middle of the tongue.
The teeth become loose, gums are soft and spongy. There are ulcers on the soft palate with sharp, splinter-like pains.
There is a secretion of bloody saliva from the mouth. The patient complains of excessive saliva production in the mouth that drools from the corners of the mouth.
Potency and dosage:
Nitric acid 1M can be taken as four pills or drops once a week till improvement occurs. Nitric acid 200CH can be taken as four pills or drops once daily till improvement occurs.
Nitric acid in 30CH can be taken as four pills or drops twice daily till improvement occurs.
8. KALI IODATUM: For sialorrhea with much thirst
Symptoms:
Kali Iodatum is a beneficial remedy for increased saliva production with much thirst. The patient spits blood.
Kali Iodatum patient has glandular swellings and long-standing skin eruptions.
A painful burning is present in the digestive tract along with excessive saliva secretion.
The Kali Iodatum patient is sad, and anxious with a harsh temperament.
The patient spits blood with loss of weight. When these symptoms are present, Kali Iodatum can relieve the patient.
Potency and dosage:
Kali Iodatum 1M can be taken as four pills or drops once a week till improvement occurs. Kali Iodatum 200CH can be taken as four pills or drops once daily till improvement occurs.
Kali Iodatum in 30CH can be taken as four pills or drops twice daily till improvement occurs.
9. LAC CAN: For sialorrhea with a putrid taste in the mouth
Symptoms:
The tongue is coated yellow with bright red edges. The patient complains of profuse salivation.
The patient may experience drooling of saliva with cough symptoms.
There is a putrid taste in the mouth which is increased by sweets.
Lac can is a helpful remedy for sialorrhea patients with throat infections such as tonsillitis or diphtheria etc.
Potency and dosage:
Lac can 1M can be taken as four pills or drops once a week till improvement occurs. Lac can 200CH can be taken as four pills or drops once daily till improvement occurs.
Lac can in 30CH be taken as four pills or drops twice daily till improvement occurs.
10. LACHESIS: For sialorrhea with nauseous taste in the mouth
Symptoms:
Lachesis is a helpful remedy for constant hypersalivation. The patient may have throat infections.
There are burning and raw aphthous in the mouth. The gums become swollen, spongy and bleeding.
The tongue trembles and is red, dry and cracked at the centre. Lachesis patient has a nauseous taste in the mouth with pain in the facial bones.
Potency and dosage:
Lachesis 1M can be taken as four pills or drops once a week till improvement occurs. Lachesis 200CH can be taken as four pills or drops once daily till improvement occurs.
Lachesis in 30CH can be taken as four pills or drops twice daily till improvement occurs.
Remember that homeopathic remedies are prescribed based on individual symptoms and characteristics. It’s crucial to consult with a qualified homeopath for proper evaluation and personalized treatment. Homeopathy focuses on treating the whole person, so a detailed case study is necessary to select the most appropriate remedy.
Homeopathic medicines should be taken only when prescribed by a homeopathic physician. Self-medication may aggravate the original conditions.