A baby drooling bubbles seems cute. Increased salivation is observed in infants at 2–3 months, and by one year the amount of salivary fluid decreases. Often, with hypersalivation, drool flows down the chin, which causes significant inconvenience for both parents and the baby himself. In what cases is increased salivation normal, and in what cases is it a pathological process?

Why is saliva needed?

Saliva is a biological fluid that is produced by the salivary glands and secreted into the oral cavity. The main glands that produce it:

• submandibular;
• parotid;
• sublingual;
• many small glands in the mouth.

Why is saliva needed? When it becomes low, a person experiences discomfort, dry mouth, and feels thirsty. It helps chew food and swallow. Main functions of saliva:

This wide range of effects is explained by the composition of saliva. It consists of 98% water, the remaining 2% consists of the following substances:

In addition, saliva also contains other enzymes, as well as acid salts and trace elements. The composition of this biological fluid can vary depending on a person's diet, his state of health and the irritant entering the oral cavity.

What should saliva be like normally?

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In a healthy person, saliva appears clear or slightly cloudy and colorless, practically odorless. It is a little viscous; if you rub a drop between your fingers, you will feel it slipping. The viscosity is only slightly greater than that of water. The density of saliva varies depending on its composition and ranges from 1.002–1.12 g/ml.

One of the most important characteristics of saliva is acidity. Normally, it should be above 7 pH, that is, saliva is an alkaline environment. As acidity increases, salivary fluid loses its bactericidal properties. An acidic environment is perfect for the proliferation of pathogens.

The buffering capacity of saliva is a concept that characterizes the ability of salivary fluid to neutralize harmful substances that enter the oral cavity. The higher the acidity, the lower the buffer capacity. Acidity increases with prolonged consumption of carbohydrates. That is why parents forbid their children to eat a lot of sweets so that they do not have caries.

Why does my baby drool profusely?

Newborn babies begin to drool immediately after birth, and salivation only increases until they are three months old. It’s not for nothing that bibs are hung on babies’ chests so that they don’t get their clothes wet. Sometimes this feature of babies seems cute, but every mother has at least once asked the following question: is it normal for drooling so much, or is it due to illness?

Physiological causes of increased salivation

Saliva is produced immediately when a baby is born, but at 2–3 months the baby bubbles the most profusely. This is a normal process, it is necessary for the full development of the child. Reasons why newborns experience increased salivation:

The peak of intense salivary fluid secretion occurs at 3–5 months. By six months, the swallowing reflex is almost formed. At what age does drooling stop flowing? By the age of 1 year, saliva production is normalized, the baby can already control swallowing, and liquid does not flow down the chin.

Pathological causes

Hypersalivation is excessive salivation due to increased secretion of the salivary glands. If the baby is drooling on the chin and chest, there is too much of it, irritation and a rash around the mouth begin to appear, this indicates the presence of a disease that provoked hypersalivation.

Causes of pathological salivation in a 2-3 month old baby:

1. Stomatitis is an inflammatory disease of the oral cavity, characterized by the formation of ulcers and aphthae on the mucous membrane. With the help of saliva, the body tries to neutralize the infection; it is released as a reaction to infection. Also, the amount of salivary fluid increases due to the pain experienced by the baby
2. Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by fungi of the genus Candida. A common occurrence in newborns who become infected with thrush from the mother during the birth canal or from dirty nipples and bottles. It manifests itself in the appearance of a white cheesy coating on the tongue, under which bleeding ulcers are hidden. Saliva from thrush is thick, cloudy, and smells unpleasant.
3. Cerebral palsy and other disorders of the central nervous system. The child experiences partial muscle paralysis, convulsions, and impaired coordination of muscle movements. Such disorders prevent children from retaining saliva in their mouths.
4. Colds, ARVI, respiratory diseases (bronchitis, pneumonia, sore throat). With these ailments, in addition to hypersalivation, the child develops a cough, runny nose, and fever.
5. Diseases of the digestive system. Pathologies in the functioning of the stomach and intestines can provoke increased salivation. The saliva will smell unpleasant and have a thicker consistency.

Changes in the amount and composition of saliva can occur due to stressful situations and nervous tension. Only a doctor can find out the reason that caused hypersalivation. First of all, it is necessary to take the baby to a pediatrician, and he will refer you to other specialists, if necessary: ​​an endocrinologist, neurologist, dentist or gastroenterologist.

How to alleviate the child's condition?

A 3-month-old child is drooling – what should I do? If your baby has a constantly wet mouth and chin, irritation will develop in this area over time. The skin begins to peel off, and weeping ulcers appear in this area. Some tips on how to help your baby:

If your baby experiences discomfort from excessive salivation, you should visit a doctor. Both a strong secretion of saliva and a lack of it should alert you. Only a doctor will be able to determine whether hypersalivation is a physiological norm for a particular newborn or is it a consequence of a disease.

Greetings, friends! My article today is again aimed at reassuring young parents who may have become very nervous about the fact that their baby began to drool a lot.

I understand that now your child’s clothes are wet due to drool, a slight irritation has appeared on his face, he may begin to get nervous and even cry about this. However, it’s okay, all parents go through this. Your child is completely healthy. Very rarely, saliva runs a lot as a consequence of a serious illness; in all other 99 percent of cases, this is a completely natural phenomenon; some babies just drool a little more than others.

Why does this happen? To find out the reasons, you must first understand the basic functions of saliva. What is it for?

Main functions of saliva.

1. Saliva kills bacteria. In this regard, the more infection that enters the mouth, the more fluid the salivary glands secrete to fight this infection.
2. Saliva helps digest food because it contains enzymes. It also softens food, sometimes even liquefying it. Softened and liquefied food is easier to swallow and absorb by the body.
3. Saliva moisturizes the oral cavity, thanks to it cracks do not form in the mouth.

Why does a child drool a lot?

As a rule, excessive salivation begins in the first months of a child’s life. This happens because the salivary glands begin to fulfill their function, and the baby has not yet learned to swallow saliva. In this regard, saliva simply flows, the child does not swallow it, it seems to you that something is wrong with him and panic begins. Just imagine that you won’t swallow your saliva, how much of it will be released in your mouth.

Another reason for excessive salivation may be that the child has begun the process of teething. As we found out, saliva is secreted to fight bacteria in the oral cavity. As soon as the baby starts teething, he begins to put everything in his mouth: fingers, toys, blankets, clothes, and then he will also start putting his feet. Naturally, a lot of bacteria enter the mouth during this period and there is also plenty of saliva to fight infections.

Also, during the period of teething, drool helps the baby to numb the gums and relieve inflammation. It was nature that took such care to reduce the child’s suffering. After all, when a tooth erupts and begins to cut through the gums, it is very painful.

Let's now talk a little about why excessive salivation occurs in children of different ages

If your baby is drooling at one month of age

This is still a very young age. But perhaps your baby’s salivary glands began to work intensively earlier than expected. This usually happens starting at 2 or 3 months.

It is worth paying attention to the child’s oral cavity; perhaps excess saliva is the result of some kind of infection in the mouth, for example, thrush or stomatitis. See if your baby has any plaque or sores in his mouth. If you find it, then run to the pediatrician.

Perhaps the baby has a cold; there will be a lot of drool, as well as snot, during this period.

Excessive salivation at 2, 3-5 months

It is precisely at this age that everything begins, and the work of the salivary glands becomes unpredictable and the teeth may begin to worry.

Also, from the age of three months, a baby is already very actively dragging everything into his mouth, thus introducing a lot of bacteria into himself, with which the salivary glands begin to fight.

It is clear that stomatitis and thrush at this age have also not been canceled. So, just in case, we continue to examine the oral cavity.

If your child is drooling at 1, 2 or 3 years old

The salivary glands should normalize their function after the first year of a child’s life. However, all the same, as soon as the baby starts to have a new tooth, more saliva will be released, you can’t escape this.

Even if all the baby teeth have already come out, they will still soon begin to change (at an older age) and the child will soon delight you with his saliva again.

Also very often the cause of excessive salivation at this age is infection. The child brings them in with dirty hands or food. It’s already difficult for you to make sure that everything is sterile. The baby already goes wherever he wants, takes what he wants and often gets dirty.

A cold and resulting nasal congestion also often causes children to salivate more than usual. Therefore, if a child drools at night when he sleeps, then it is quite possible that his nose is stuffy.

How to help your baby during periods of heavy drooling

First of all, you need to think logically and identify the reason why your child is drooling so much.

If this is the result of a cold, then it is clear that a runny nose needs to be treated.

If it is stomatitis or thrush, then you need to urgently consult a doctor so that he can prescribe treatment depending on the severity of the disease. Symptoms of stomatitis include sores in the mouth and white blisters. Thrush can appear as a white coating on the gums, palate, etc.

If this is the beginning of the work of the salivary glands at an early age of the child, then you will not do anything. The glands begin to “test” their work in this way. This is a completely natural process that should not be interfered with.

Quite often, a lot of saliva is released due to teeth that are starting to climb. How to help your child in this case:

• Buy him some teethers. These are toys that you can chew on. Some are filled with water so that they can be cooled in the refrigerator. When the baby chews on a chilled teether, the pain subsides.
• Massage your baby's gums with light finger pressure.
• Smear your gums with a special anesthetic gel for teeth. This helps a lot. The baby stops being nervous.
• If drooling profusely, the baby is nervous and crying, you cannot calm him down and he does not want to fall asleep, then you can give the child a painkiller. We gave ours Nurofen at night.

In any case, if you see that your child is drooling profusely, then:

• Wipe them immediately with disposable paper towels. You don't want your baby's face to remain wet for long. Drooling can cause severe irritation on the chin or cheeks;
• Use bibs. You can buy bibs that have an oilcloth base. They get wet less. As soon as you see that the bib is wet, dress the baby clean and dry, and wash the victim.
• Pay attention to hygiene; at an early age, a child should have perfectly clean hands and toys, because he constantly puts them in his mouth. An infection will set in and there will be more drool.

That's it, dear friends, I hope that I have given you at least a little peace of mind and that you have taken everything into account.

Very often young parents have questions: “Why is my child constantly drooling? Is there a danger to the little man's health? When should you definitely see a doctor?” Let's find out in this article.

Causes of excessive salivation in children under 2 years of age

The phenomenon when a child drools heavily can be caused by physiological and pathological factors. How to visually distinguish a disease from a normal state?

5 reasons why it's not dangerous

Why does a baby drool and is this phenomenon common? If the baby is not sick, this condition is caused by the following factors:
1
Insufficient formation of gland functions, responsible for the production and separation of saliva. Too intense work of the salivary system leads to the fact that the child does not have time to swallow a lot of liquid, which is why it begins to flow out of the mouth.

In children under one year of age, increased salivation is not a dangerous physiological phenomenon that appears periodically

2
A 2 month old baby is drooling for the following reasons: while there are no teeth yet, saliva provides comfortable swallowing. This is due to the normal physiology of baby development.
3
If the baby is 3 months old, the drooling is because they will start soon. Their movement inside the gums causes irritation, itching, and pain. The inflammatory process is controlled by an increased volume of fluid. In this case, saliva provides a protective function. can last up to 3 years.
4
In infancy, the baby's saliva, containing the mother's antibodies, serves as a protective barrier against infectious agents: viruses, bacteria, and other pathogenic microorganisms. The increased secretion of biofluid is triggered by the body’s immune system to counteract the baby’s infection with the flu and other diseases.
5
In cases of excessive drooling in bottle-fed children, increased fluid secretion is explained by the instinctive normalization of the digestive process. Saliva enzymatically promotes the breakdown and absorption of dairy products.

Krishtaleva N.A., pediatrician, Virmed Polyclinic LLC, Tula

When asked why a child is drooling, I answer that such a phenomenon is usually temporary, due to physiological reasons, and lasts until the child reaches 2 years of age.

But to exclude a serious anatomical or infectious pathology, it is necessary to show the baby to an otolaryngologist.

Mandatory medical examinations of infants by a pediatrician cannot be avoided, no matter what queues line up at clinics.

Birth defects, in which saliva is produced in large volumes, and the child is not able to swallow it in a timely manner, are usually diagnosed by doctors in the maternity hospital. However, if the doctors “missed the mark,” consultations with a surgeon, neurologist, or pediatrician will help avoid dangerous consequences.

If, with increased salivation, the baby does not experience symptoms of an infectious infection: fever, sneezing, rhinitis, inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eyes, gums, throat, then this phenomenon is not dangerous. It is necessary to promptly blot and wash the cheeks and chin, and lubricate them with special baby creams.

7 dangerous reasons that require special attention

The body of every tiny person is already a unique biocomputer that independently launches self-preservation programs. Excessive salivation in a child is almost always a defense reaction.

Manifests itself in the following diseases:
1
Thrush. The causative agent is Candida fungi, which infect the oral mucosa. Symptoms: against the background of severe salivation, an increase in temperature is observed, as well as the appearance of cheesy gums, inner areas of the cheeks.

To prevent your child from injuring his gums with dangerous objects, it is necessary to buy teething toys while his teeth are growing.

2
Diseases of the central nervous system. With cerebral palsy and other pathologies of brain activity, increased salivation occurs along with disturbances in motor coordination and speech. Accompanied by fainting, general weakness of the child, convulsive manifestations are possible.
3
Helminthiasis. The presence is indicated by strong salivation in the child at night. Other symptoms: snoring during sleep, itching in the groin area and anus. Read more about the first signs and symptoms of worms in children.
4
ARVI, influenza, sore throat, other infectious diseases characterized by excessive salivation against a background of high fever, runny nose, coughing, and sneezing.
5
Stomatitis. The nature of the inflammatory processes of stomatitis is varied. can develop due to fungal, bacterial, or viral infection of the baby. Increased salivation in infants 2 months and older is accompanied by the formation of bubbles, vesicles, and ulcers on the mucous membrane. The child experiences such severe pain that he cannot chew or swallow.

Freiman I.L., Head of the Consultative and Diagnostic Clinic of the Regional Clinical Children's Hospital, Krasnoyarsk

The causes of the symptom of excessive drooling can also be the salivary glands. The initial signs of illness in children are determined by the pediatrician. To exclude other pathologies, you need to check with a dentist, ENT doctor, or neurologist.

It is in the first year of life that pathology is more easily determined, the symptom of which is profuse drooling in the child.

6
Hyperreactivity of the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract. If a child drools after walking on the lawn or garden during the flowering of meadows, cereal grasses, or birch or poplar, this may indicate.
7
Drug, food, cosmetic intoxication often cause increased salivation. Associated symptoms: redness of the face, body, swelling of the mucous membranes.

There are many other very dangerous diseases, the symptom of which is increased salivation. As a result of status asthmaticus, the child may suddenly begin to choke. Only a pediatric doctor can establish an accurate diagnosis; do not put off visiting him until tomorrow, as delay can lead to serious consequences.

What can parents do?

How to relieve your baby’s condition if your newborn is drooling incessantly:

1. Tie a bib so that the baby's vest does not get wet and does not rub the baby's neck and chest.
2. Sometimes a pacifier helps. It activates the swallowing process. Read how to wean your child off a pacifier.
3. Be sure to promptly remove leaked saliva from the child’s body, then moisturize the skin with baby hypoallergenic cream.
4. If your one-month-old baby is drooling non-stop due to indigestion, place him on his tummy more often.
5. When teeth are being cut, the baby should be allowed to bite on a baby “teether” - a toy made of silicone - to reduce itching and inflammation of the gums.

Each child’s toy must be disinfected in a timely manner - this will protect against infectious diseases.

How to avoid irritation from saliva on a child’s face and neck

The most common reason why a baby drools is teething. How to prevent the formation of rashes, pimples and red spots on the baby’s cervix, chin, neck:

Saliva coming from the mouth collects under the pacifier and causes irritation on the chin.

• promptly blot saliva and wash skin with boiled water;
• change bibs and blouses more often;
• if a one-month-old baby is drooling, a clean diaper should be placed at the head of the crib to absorb liquid;
• lubricate your face, neck, chest with baby oil or cream.

To feed your baby, prepare food that does not damage the gums, has a soft structure, and has a viscous consistency.

Treatment methods

In former times, the best cure for any kind of irritation was vegetable oil boiled in a water bath. Today, your doctor may recommend a special baby skin powder or ointment.

List of medicines:

• Bepanten - cream for irritation, diaper rash of various etiologies;
• Weleda - cream based on herbal ingredients;
• Pantestin is a means for disinfecting the skin and rapid cell regeneration;
• Biolan - for the treatment of severe irritation.

You can see a list of medications needed for an infant.

When a child drools endlessly and develops a rash and irritation, doctors point out Sanosan, Sudocrem, and Bubchen creams as the most effective medications. The products have anti-inflammatory and disinfectant properties. Instantly reduce itching, dry the skin, normalize metabolic processes, and promote epithelial restoration.

If your baby develops a rash on his cheeks, neck, or chin, the cause of irritation is not necessarily constant flowing saliva. This may be a symptom of one of the dangerous diseases: measles, chickenpox, rubella, etc. An urgent diagnosis from a doctor is needed.

What does excessive drooling mean in a child over 2 years old?

The main purpose of saliva in the body is its protective function. Increased education most often indicates the emergence of factors that need to be urgently eliminated:

1. Stomatitis.
2. Viral (or bacterial, fungal) infections in the mouth, nose, and ears.
3. Disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.
4. Allergy.
5. Worms.

It is impossible to independently determine the etiology of the disease in which a child is drooling at 2 years of age and older. Each of them is treated differently.

Gribovskaya E.G., pediatrician, Children's City Hospital No. 4, Omsk

Symptoms – dry mouth, increased salivation may indicate cytomegalovirus infection (herpes). Contact your doctor immediately.

The sooner you start fighting the disease, the more successful the treatment will be. Infectious diseases are especially dangerous, leading to dire consequences.

In any case, consult a doctor immediately if there is a suspiciously large amount of saliva secreted against the background of vomiting, high fever, diarrhea, or fainting in a child.

It is dangerous to use any folk remedies without consulting a doctor - this can cause irreparable harm to the child.

conclusions

If hypersalivation without accompanying symptoms of an infectious disease in a child does not stop when he reaches 2 years, and the pediatrician cannot answer anything concrete, be sure to undergo a full examination by specialized doctors.

Why a child 3 years and older is drooling can be found out from an ENT doctor, a neurologist, or determined using tests from an allergist-immunologist. Self-medication based on prescriptions from grandmothers, girlfriends, and TV promotions is unacceptable.

There are three main pairs of salivary glands in the mouth: submandibular, sublingual and parotid, and about 1000 minor glands. From 500 to 2000 ml of saliva are secreted per day.

The submandibular and sublingual glands secrete saliva through channels into the front of the mouth, under the tongue (Figure 1). The submandibular glands secrete most (about 65%) of the saliva in the mouth, which is watery. The sublingual glands produce some saliva, which is viscous and mucous. The parotid canals open into the mouth near the second upper molars. These large glands are most active during eating.

The general, unconscious control of salivation is exerted by the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems (autonomic nervous system).

Main functions of saliva

• Lubricates food, which aids in chewing and makes food into a bolus (soft ball) to make it easier to swallow.
• Lubricates the tongue and lips during speech.
• Cleans teeth and gums and helps with oral hygiene.
• Controls acidity in the esophagus
• Destroys microorganisms and purifies toxic substances.
• Lightens the taste. Initiates the digestion of carbohydrates.

Why do some children drool?

Excessive salivation and drooling may be normal during the first six to eighteen months of life while oral motor functions develop. Drooling is considered abnormal for a child over four years of age. Constant drooling most often occurs with cerebral palsy or other severe neurological disorders. There is a small group of healthy children who drool before the age of six. This is not overproduction of saliva, but ineffective voluntary swallowing of saliva. This group may have high external salivary loss, intraoral sensory dysfunction, impaired intraoral motility, or a combination of these factors. There are 5 degrees of severity of drooling (Table 1).

Severity of drooling

Drooling Severity Score (Thomas-Stonell and Greenberg):

2. Easy - wet lips

3. Moderate - moist lips and chin

4. Strong - clothes are wet

5. Profuse - clothes, hands and objects are wet

Estimation of the frequency of drooling (according to Thomas-Stonell and Greenberg):

1. Never

2. From time to time

4. Constantly

How to control drooling?

There are four main methods for controlling drooling:

1. Conservative methods

It is important to evaluate underlying problems that may be exacerbating the drool management problem, such as the presence of nasal congestion, dental disease, or the use of medications that may be causing the problem. Improving posture with the assistance of a physiotherapist. Rearranging your computer screen and input device (keyboard or switch) can also be helpful in achieving improved posture.

Conservative methods include behavioral approaches and techniques to improve the child's sensory awareness. These two strategies can reinforce each other. The behavioral approach involves teaching the child to recognize the sensation of wetness and the ability to either swallow saliva more frequently or wipe saliva from the lips and chin; Helping your child develop the ability to close their lips and suck in saliva. Strategies include developing the ability to suction secretions into the mouth using straws of varying thicknesses, as well as liquids of varying consistencies. Many children, apparently unaware of the saliva in or around the mouth, may be untidy when eating. Developing eating skills directly related to saliva control include controlling the length of time the child closes his lips and developing lateral tongue movements when chewing. Lateral chewing is encouraged by placing foods of varying densities between the molars.

The success of these methods depends on the team (clinician, speech therapist, parents, child), degree of oral motor disability, and ability to follow instructions.

2. Technical methods.

There are a number of devices that can help your child position their tongue better in their mouth and swallow more efficiently. Technology can be challenging for children and their families and requires careful supervision. It may be an effective treatment for children with cerebral palsy who are motivated and able to follow instructions. The device is worn for short periods of time every day, and improvements are noticeable after a year

3. Drug therapy

Anticholinergics, especially benzhexol, benztropine, and glycopyrrolate, have been successful in drying saliva in some children. These drugs block the transmission of signals from the parasympathetic nervous system to the salivary glands. Side effects, particularly sedation and anxiety, may limit their use. These drugs should be administered gradually in slowly increasing doses, as the effective dose varies from person to person.

Treatment with drugs is useful in:

• Young children whose oral functions are still maturing.
• In older children and adults with relatively mild saliva control problems.
• Optional as an alternative to surgery

A new approach to treating drooling is the injection of botulinum toxin into the salivary glands. This method is still in clinical trials, but may be a good way to provide short-term control of drooling.

4. Surgical treatment

The surgical approach is used if:

• The drooling is so severe that conservative measures are unlikely to provide satisfactory results.
• The use of conservative approaches is unlikely due to severe mental and/or physical disability.
• The child is over six years old and conservative treatment is not effective. Maturation of orofacial function may continue until the age of six in children with developmental disabilities, so surgery is not usually offered before this age.

The range of surgical options include denervation of the salivary glands, removal of the salivary glands, ligation of the salivary ducts, and relocation of the ducts.

The benefits of denervation (cutting the autonomic nerves) are lost within a year, possibly because the nerves are repaired. The nerves that transmit taste sensations are also divided.

Isolated removal of the salivary glands can lead to compensatory hyperactivity of the remaining salivary glands. A severe decrease in saliva production causes dry mouth, increased caries and poor swallowing.

The preferred method at present is relocation of the submandibular ducts and removal of the sublingual glands. With any surgical saliva control procedure, it is important to ensure that good dental health is maintained in the months and years following surgery. All young people who have had surgery should visit the dentist carefully, as there is an increased potential for developing dental caries.

Compensation Strategies

Saliva stains clothing and may smell foul if drooling is severe. When your child is small, waterproof bibs need to be changed frequently. As the child gets older, there should be a more appropriate way to mask drooling:

• Scarves can be worn around the neck to absorb excess saliva. They can be made from absorbent fabric such as grout. Matching scarves can be a sophisticated way to disguise drooling. It is good to have several scarves of the same color as they need to be changed regularly.
• To absorb excess saliva, towel fabric can be sewn into windbreakers, and waterproof material can be sewn in to keep the skin dry.
• Easily replaceable vests can be worn over the dress.
• A collar made of cotton patterned fabric can be attached to clothing using Velcro, which can be quickly replaced with another if it gets wet.
• Towel cuffs can be attached to the Velcro sleeves for wiping away saliva.

Drooling causes a range of physical and psychological complications. Physical complications include maceration of the fissure around the mouth, secondary infection, dehydration, and foul odor. Psychosocial complications include isolation, barriers to education (eg, inability to operate a computer keyboard), and increased dependence on levels of medical care. Guardians and loved ones may demonstrate affection for the child, contributing to potentially damaging ostracism from peers.

An adult who is drooling arouses vague suspicion among others. But a baby and drool are such inseparable concepts that they even came up with a special accessory called a “bib.” Although they say that excessive drooling in a child means teeth will appear soon, there may be other reasons. Knowing the reasons why a baby drools is important in order not to miss serious diseases.

The natural secretion of the salivary glands, which we call saliva, is vital for every living creature. It protects the oral mucosa from drying out, helps dissolve food, plays an important role in swallowing, fights inflammation in the oral cavity, and helps in speech formation. This cloudy, light-colored liquid contains enzymes that help prepare food for digestion in the stomach, as well as protect tooth enamel from acids and alkalis in foods. Our sense of taste is also heavily influenced by saliva.

Interestingly, on average, each person produces about 360 liters of saliva per year, or about a liter per day.

When a person eats or even just looks at something appetizing, his mouth reflexively begins to water. And, conversely, much less saliva is secreted during sleep, fear or other stress, and also during general dehydration.

Features of the baby

Usually drooling does not interfere with our life, communication, or rest. We simply don’t notice that they are there, except when we are very hungry. Then they say “I’m about to choke on my saliva.” But in a newly born child, excessive drooling is noticeable and causes some inconvenience. Why is this happening?

There are several reasons, as already mentioned:

1. Teeth. This is the most common explanation for excessive secretion of the salivary glands. The baby does not control the process; saliva secretes itself in response to inflammation and increased irritation of the gums.
2. Imperfection of development. Since the child is still very small, his body is still developing its basic functions, including salivation. In addition, the baby still does not really know how to swallow, because of this there is a feeling that he is always slobbering, like a Shar Pei.
3. Food processing. Although the baby's main nutrition is breast milk, it also needs to be broken down. Milk contains proteins and carbohydrates, the digestion of which requires enzymes contained in saliva. This may cause the baby to feel like they are drooling too much.
4. Neutralization of bacteria. Babies aged 1 month and older are already beginning to put anything in their mouths, including non-sterile objects. In this way, a lot of bacteria, both ordinary and pathogenic, enter the mouth. Sometimes ulcers form, that is, stomatitis. Saliva is needed for their healing.
5. Hypersalivation. Increased salivation in children, which is not associated with age and is a sign of serious disorders in the brain, central nervous system pathologies, psychopathy and even tumors. In this case, drooling will flow constantly, and you will understand that this is no longer a completely normal process.

If you are worried about your child's excessive drooling, it is better to show him to a pediatrician. This will help you either calm down or find out what the child is sick with, why he is drooling and what treatment is needed. Most likely, your child's excessive drooling is due to the fact that he is at such an age stage.

How to help the baby

If your newborn baby is constantly drooling, this is not pleasant for either you or him. In addition to a bad mood or endlessly wet clothes, excessive drooling in children can cause severe irritation on the chin and chest. Drooling flows, a rash appears and the child becomes even more unpleasant and uncomfortable. In addition, due to excess salivation, coughing often occurs. That is why it is better to prevent all consequences in advance by providing the baby with proper care. The following measures can be taken:

• Do not neglect the invention of our grandmothers - the bib. It is lined with waterproof material that will protect the chest from constant moisture. It’s better to stock up on bibs before your baby is born, so that you always have them at hand.
• Despite the fact that in recent years there has been an active campaign against the use of pacifiers, a pacifier can be very helpful because it makes it easier for a child to swallow drool.
• Buy your baby a soft teething toy. It will not only help reduce itching of the gums, but will also absorb excess saliva. Don't forget to wash it regularly and rinse it well.
• Irritations from drooling on the baby's chin need to be lubricated with nourishing creams containing vitamins A and E.
• If your baby catches a cold and develops a runny nose, things will become more complicated. The baby will not be able to breathe through his nose, but it will also be problematic to do this with his mouth, since it is full of drool. It is important to treat a runny nose to avoid such complications.
• A small newborn baby spends more time lying on his back, making it difficult for drool to come out of his mouth. Place your baby on his tummy more often and you will immediately notice how much more fun he will become, forgetting about his problem.
• To relieve itching in your child's gums, use cooling and anesthetic gels. The weaker the irritation, the less saliva will be released.

Although increased salivation in a baby brings some troubles, but in most cases this is an absolutely natural process and all children go through it. It will last up to approximately 18 months. Therefore, reconcile yourself and simply provide the baby with care and concern. You will not even notice how the child will outgrow this period and learn to control his salivation.

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