How to Stop Drooling

Excessive salivation (also known as sialorrhea) can be bothersome in daily life. In severe cases, it may significantly impact the quality of life. For mild cases, you can manage it by avoiding foods and smells that may trigger drooling. Grape juice, tea, sage, and ginger can help keep your mouth drier and reduce saliva production. If the condition is linked to underlying issues like oral infections or neurological disorders, consulting a doctor for treatment options is recommended.

Avoid foods and smells that trigger drooling. Limit your intake of citrus fruits and sweet or sour foods that can stimulate the salivary glands. Try to steer clear of fragrant foods or hygiene products that might cause drooling.

• Foods that are bland and dry, such as crackers or toasted bread, can help absorb excess saliva and provide immediate relief.
• If you're near someone eating or cooking and can't avoid it, try to distract yourself. Find something to do, hum a song, write a story, or chat on your phone, for example.

Drink more water, especially when saliva becomes thicker than usual. It may sound odd, but staying hydrated helps control overactive salivary glands. Aim for about 3.8 liters of water a day.

• If your saliva is thick and mucousy, drinking plenty of water will thin it out, making it easier to swallow. You should also avoid dairy products when saliva is thick.

Drink a glass of grape juice. When you're drooling, pour yourself a glass of grape juice. The tannic acid in grape juice can help dry your mouth and reduce saliva production.

• Other drinks containing tannic acid include green tea, black tea, coffee, and red wine.
• Keep in mind that these beverages may contribute to tooth decay and staining. Remember to floss once a day and brush your teeth at least twice a day. One additional benefit is that brushing your teeth can temporarily reduce excessive saliva production.

Try sage or ginger to dry out the mouth. A cup of ginger tea or sage tea can help dry out overly active salivary glands. Chewing sage leaves or nibbling a piece of ginger also helps. You can also take sage tincture by dissolving 15-20 drops of sage extract in a glass of water once a day.

• Sage tea can be found in health food stores, wellness shops, or online. You can also steep 1 tablespoon of fresh sage leaves or 1 teaspoon of dried sage in a cup (240 ml) of hot water for 3-5 minutes to make sage tea.
• Some medical experts recommend sage and ginger for reducing saliva production in patients with conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, it’s important to consult a doctor before using any herbs or supplements, especially if you're ill or on medication.
• Avoid using sage tincture or extract if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Excessive doses of more than 15g of sage leaves or 0.5g of sage extract per kilogram of body weight may lead to increased salivation and other unwanted reactions.

Avoid situations that trigger nausea and vomiting. Excessive drooling is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting. If drooling occurs due to nausea, sit down and try to relax until the feeling passes. Keep track of what triggers your nausea and avoid those situations.

• Common triggers include strong odors, traveling, riding roller coasters, bright or flashing lights, and high temperatures.
• Plain foods like toast or crackers may help calm your stomach.

Take antacid medication if you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Excessive drooling may also be linked to GERD, where stomach acid rises into the throat. If you have this condition, avoid acidic and spicy foods and consider over-the-counter antacids.

• Antacids can interfere with the absorption of other medications, so it’s important to consult your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any prescription drugs.

Ask your doctor if any of your prescribed medications are causing excessive salivation. Anticonvulsants, sedatives, antipsychotics, and both direct and indirect cholinergic drugs can lead to increased saliva production. If you regularly take these types of medication, research the potential side effects or ask your doctor.

• Some examples of medications that can cause excessive drooling include clozapine, potassium chlorate, risperidone, and pilocarpine.
• Your doctor may suggest alternative medications with fewer side effects. If not, they may prescribe additional medications to control saliva production.

Practice exercises to improve swallowing ability. For young children or patients with swallowing difficulties, exercising the muscles involved in swallowing can help prevent saliva buildup. Exercises include sucking liquids through a straw and using a straw to pick up small items like beans or raisins.

• If young children drool excessively, these exercises can help them learn to control the muscles needed for swallowing. If necessary, a speech therapist can assist in teaching children how to manage these muscles in their mouth and throat.
• Speech therapy may also be beneficial for patients with neurological disorders, muscle conditions, nerve damage, Parkinson’s disease, or other disorders that affect swallowing.

Consult with your doctor about treatments for oral infections if necessary. From toothaches to tonsillitis, various oral health issues can cause excessive saliva production. Visit a doctor or dentist if you are unable to control your excessive salivation, or if you notice symptoms of infection like pain, swelling, or discharge.

• In addition to infections, other oral concerns such as structural defects can also lead to saliva buildup. Using supports, braces, and other dental devices can help fix structural issues in your mouth, neck, or jaw that make swallowing difficult.

Consult your doctor about medications that can help control drooling. Anticholinergic medications block nerve signals that tell the salivary glands to produce saliva. These medications come in 0.5g tablets or patches that you apply behind your ear. The typical dosage is 1-3 tablets per day or one patch changed daily.

• Side effects may include constipation, dry mouth, reduced urination, restlessness, dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, nausea, facial flushing, headaches, and blurred vision. The patch form may cause irritation or itching at the application site. Discuss the risks and benefits of this medication with your doctor before use.
• Scopolamine patches may also help reduce saliva production, with similar side effects to anticholinergic drugs.

Discuss Botox injections with your doctor for severe cases of excessive salivation. If other treatments fail, your doctor may suggest botulinum toxin (Botox) injections. Guided by ultrasound, the doctor will inject the toxin into the salivary glands to temporarily block their activity.

• Botox injections need to be repeated every 5-6 months to control excessive salivation.
• Be sure to choose an experienced otolaryngologist when opting for this treatment.

Consider surgery as a last resort. Surgical removal of salivary glands is rarely performed and is typically only recommended when excessive salivation significantly impacts your quality of life. For example, patients with motor neuron disorders may face life-threatening choking from saliva, making surgery the best option.

• There are various surgical options available. Your doctor or medical team will assist in determining the most appropriate option for you.
• Generally, salivary gland surgery is quick and simple. Some cases require only local anesthesia, meaning the area being treated will be numbed while you remain awake during the procedure.