Why Do We Drool During Sleep?

Of all the conditions that afflict people, drooling while asleep is probably among the least alarming. Still, the condition can be annoying if it disrupts your sleep and embarrassing if you share a bed. Sleep slobbering actually has a medical name: sialorrhea is the act of salivating during sleep.

Causes

• People salivate more while they are awake than they do while sleeping, but they don't swallow as often while asleep. The saliva collects in the mouth of the sleeper and eventually leaks out.

  Sleeping posture, dental problems, medications, injury and several illnesses can all cause sleep drooling. Sleeping on your side, with your face turned down toward the bed, is especially conducive to sleep slobber. Sleeping with your mouth open and breathing through your mouth are also likely to lead to slobbering. Problems in the nervous system can cause drooling. Wearing a night guard to prevent tooth grinding can also cause unusual drooling.

Home Remedies

• Try changing sleeping positions. Sleeping on your back allows saliva to pool in your throat, triggering an automatic swallow. Special pillows are designed to encourage people to sleep face up. Side sleepers are more likely to drool because there is no automatic swallowing reflex. Pay attention to how you breathe during the day. If you catch yourself mouth breathing while awake, close your mouth and deliberately breathe through your nose.

Complications

• Nighttime drooling is not a major medical problem unless the drooling is excessive. Saliva contains bacteria that can cause pneumonia. Inhaling the saliva can lead to lung infections.

See a Doctor

• A physical examination can determine if the problem is caused by an underlying medical condition. The exam can also reveal if the drooler has had an injury or insect sting, or if he is taking medications that could lead to drooling. Drooling that is caused by allergies or nasal problems, such as a deviated septum, can be treated. An ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist can tell if an allergy or sinus condition is contributing to the problem. A blockage can make it difficult to breathe through your nose, allowing saliva to escape through your open mouth.

  A thorough examination of your sinuses, nasal passages, lungs and even your ears can reveal why you are breathing through your mouth at night. A doctor can also diagnose sleep apnea, a condition in which a person's sleep is disrupted by loud snoring and interrupted breathing. To rule out causes of persistent sleep drooling, consult a sleep problem specialist.