Excessive Saliva Secretion,excessive Drinking

Posted on Tue, 7 Jun 2011

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 7 Jun 2011 Answered on

Tue, 22 May 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : After consulting my GP and attending numerous dental appointments I have searched internet and found that the problem with excess secretion of saliva which I've experienced for the past four years, is clearly connected to a point in my life where I was drinking excessively. I am abstinent of alchol now but symptoms remain. Is this condition treatable?

Answered by Dr. Ashu Gupta (22 hours later)

Hi

Thanks for your query.

I am unknown whether alcoholism is connected to excessive salivation.

In adults, the most common reasons of chronic excessive salivation and drooling are parkinsonism, stroke - because of their inability to recognize / swallow the saliva.

The cause could either be due to excessive production of salivary glands or due to a problem of swallowing the saliva at right time due to various reasons like oral, pharyngeal or oesophageal causes. If the doctor can find this out, he can directly shoot at the cause. You may need physical examination and battery of test to find the root cause.

If a clear cause is not found, then, You may take the help of antisialagogues ( medicines).

I think it is time for you to consider this if it excessively worrying you. During your internet search you could have known that there are alternative therapies apart from medications.

So I recommend to take medicines rather than finding answers.

Hope I have answered your query adequately. If you have any more concerns, I will be available to clear them.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar