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Saliva – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

Definition

Saliva is a fluid in secretions from the salivary gland, which plays an important role in digestion.

Saliva confusion is an increase in or decrease in saliva fluctuations in the mouth.

Classify

There are 2 types:

  • Reduced saliva (dry mouth): a common condition, under the influence of external factors, the salivary glands are contracted or lost function or restricted in producing saliva, which make mouth dry.

  • Excessive saliva: amount of saliva in the mouth is excessive and it is difficult to control.

Causes

  • Take some medicine for a long time

  • Systemic or organic diseases affect saliva secretion

  • Physiological status: age, pregnancy, teething, etc

  • Salivary gland injury.

Symptoms

If you do not produce enough saliva, you may notice the following signs and symptoms:

  • Dry in the mouth.

  • Saliva seems to be thick like as glue

  • An ulcer or cracking of the skin at corners of the mouth

  • Cracked lips

  • Smell breath

  • Hard to say, swallow

  • Sore throat

  • A sense of change of taste

For the excessive saliva or also called hypersalivation, you will see that saliva is produced uncontrollably. Saliva can appear anytime without notice including when saying, eating, sleeping, drinking, which make you uncomfortable in your life.

Life style and how to get rid of saliva

  • When causes of the dry mouth are not defined, the following tips can help to improve the dry mouth symptoms and keep your teeth healthy:

  • Chew sugarless gum or hard candy.

  • Limit caffeine. Caffeine can dry your mouth.

  • Avoid sweet or sour foods and candy as they increase the risk of tooth decay.

  • Brush your teeth with fluoride tooth-paste.

  • Do not use mouthwashes that contain alcohol because they can make your mouth dried.

  • Stop smoking or chewing tobacco.

  • Drink water often.

  • Avoid using antihistamines following prescription and decongestants because they can make symptoms worse.

  • Breathe through the nose, not the mouth.

  • Add humidity to the air at night with room humidity.

When you get hypersalivation, you can apply some natural ways to get rid of it as below:

1. Ginger

Ginger not only is a common spice in kitchen, but also has anti – inflammatory properties, so it is known as one of the most effective and strong methods to decrease the amount of exaggerated saliva inside your mouth. Besides, it can reduce the amount of harmful bacterial significantly which causes tooth decay.

How to do:

  • Cut ginger into thin slices

  • Put one of them inside your mouth and keep them for 5 -10 minutes

  • Do this daily, you will see effect of ginger

2. Mint leaves

Not only bringing a fresh breath naturally, mint is also one of the best tips to get rid of the hypersalivation. As surveys, mint has ability of diminishing the production of saliva well.

To get the best result, you should wash the mint leaves before apply them inside your mouth and keep them for few minutes daily.

3. Cinnamon

Thanks to its ability to diminish existing bacteria inside the mouth, cinnamon is used to limit the secretion of saliva immediately. You should use it as tea and drink daily to improve the situation gradually.

How to use cinnamon to treat the hypersalivation

  • Crush cinnamon into powder or you can buy cinnamon powder from the supermarket

  • Mix this powder (it is better to put it inside a tea bag) with hot water

  • Dip it for several times before take it out.

  • Add raw honey (optional) to get a better taste

  • Drink it every day

4. Clove

It is said that cloves can support to cure the nerves as well as salivary excess. With its anti – inflammatory and antibacterial compounds, cloves are a powerful and great way to remove pathogens in the mouth.

Take a little clove powder and mix with hot water or use the clove to drink with tea daily.

For the exaggerated saliva at night, you should apply some following tips:

  • Sleep on your back, should not lie on your side

  • Avoid eating spicy foods

  • Do not chew gums and eat too much at night, before bedtime.

For the hypersalivation of pregnancy, in addition to above ways you should eat regularly, divide into small meals with a nutritional balance, and avoid starchy foods.