Excessive Saliva?
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Excessive Saliva?
| Wed, 04-18-2007 - 2:05pm |
Hello ladies,
I've been producing excessive saliva for going on 3 weeks now and I just have to spit it out (if I swallow, it just makes me nauseas). It's constant - even at night, and I've resorted to sleeping with a towel on my pillow. I've tried sugarless gum, dry crackers, water! The only time I can function (speak) is when I'm eating or after I've spit into my trusty blue cup :). Does anyone have any suggestions? Am I the only one? When will this end? Thanks in advance!
Neka

I found this information for you:
It's not uncommon to notice that you're salivating than usual once you're pregnant, especially if you're nauseated. (This phenomenon is even more common among women with a severe form of morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum.) A few women may find they're salivating like crazy and are compelled to spit constantly into a tissue or cup to deal with the excessive amounts of drool they're producing. This extreme version of the problem is called ptyalism or sialorrhea.
Experts don't know exactly what causes excess saliva in early pregnancy, but hormonal changes may be a culprit. It's also possible that some women who are nauseated try to avoid swallowing, so more saliva tends to build up in the mouth. Under normal circumstances, your salivary glands produce about one quart of saliva each day, but since you continually swallow unconsciously you don't generally notice it. If you suddenly feel like you've got a lot more saliva in your mouth, it may be due to an actual increase in your saliva production, a decrease in swallowing, or a combination of the two.
Increased salivation can also be related to heartburn, which is common during pregnancy. It works like this: When the contents of your stomach (which are acidic) back up on you, they irritate your esophagus and cause the burning sensation so familiar to heartburn sufferers. Your esophagus has acid sensors that then trigger your salivary glands to produce more saliva. When this happens, the concentration of bicarbonate (which is alkaline) in your saliva increases, and each time you swallow, your saliva bathes the walls of your esophagus and helps to neutralize the gastric acid. (This may also explain why women who are vomiting tend to salivate more.)
It may be small comfort at this point, but saliva does perform a lot of other important functions, including lubricating your mouth and producing enzymes that aid in digestion. It also contains proteins that have antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial activity, which help to protect your teeth and mouth.
What can I do about it?
Besides doing whatever you can to relief your nausea, vomiting, or heartburn, there may not be much you can do about your excess saliva, but some women report that the following measures are helpful:
• Brush your teeth and use mouthwash several times a day.
• Eat frequent small meals.
• Drink more water. Keep a water bottle with you and take frequent small sips.
• Suck on a hard candy or chew sugarless gum. (Avoid sour candies and gum, which can stimulate saliva production.) This won't decrease your saliva production, but it will make it make it easier for you to swallow the saliva you do produce.
In most cases, you should just swallow any excess saliva you create. However, if you have a profuse amount of saliva and find that swallowing it tends to make you feel more nauseated, you'll likely find yourself spitting it into a tissue, washcloth, or cup. If you find you need to do this, be sure to drink plenty of water so you don't get dehydrated. For a number of women this harmless but annoying (and, in extreme cases, downright distressing) problem often lessens or disappears around the end of the first trimester as their nausea abates. However, just like nausea, it can last throughout pregnancy for a small number of women.
I was a total slobberpuss !!!!
Thank you Tara!
I actually went to the ER Monday night because I was feeling so weak and they diagnosed me Hyperemesis Gravidarum, so your info is definitely accurate. It's sort of like a catch 22 because they say that I'm dehydrated, but I'm constantly losing saliva with the spitting. Let's hope it eases up as I enter the 2nd trimester - I'm 13 weeks, 2 days today, when exactly would that be? Thanks so much for your help!
Neka
Oh man - did it really last the whole pregnancy? How did you function day-to-day? I'm a secretary, so it's really hard to avoid speaking with answering the phones and greeting people all day.
I'm glad you can laugh about it now, though - what a happy spirit! :)
I really hope it eases up for you.
Hey Neka, I just had to chime in on this one --- I sleep with a tissue under my cheek because of all the drool!! Luckily I don't seem to have a problem during the day, but I feel your pain!! :) I'm 21 weeks and it shows no signs of stopping yet. Wish I could tell you different!
Nicole H
I have heard that this is common. I don't have any advice though....keeo your cup handy I suppose:)
Lauren
Thanks for all of your responses, ladies. I guess I have no choice but to hold on to my trusty cup - maybe I'll mix it up and get a new color each month - gotta