Saliva is an essential bodily fluid, helping digest food and keeping the mouth hydrated. Occasional drooling is not a concern; however, frequent drooling may be indicative of a health problem. As seniors age, their bodies go through a variety of changes that can affect oral health and muscle control. For many seniors, drooling can become a concern, impacting comfort and self-confidence. Caregivers should understand the common causes behind drooling in seniors to reduce its impact on daily life.

What is Saliva?

Salivary glands in the mouth produce a clear liquid known as saliva. Although saliva is made up mostly of water, it contains substances that the body needs to digest food. Saliva keeps the mouth moist, making it easier for seniors to speak, chew, and swallow food. Additionally, saliva contains enzymes that aid in the process of breaking down foods and carbohydrates before they reach the stomach.

Why is Saliva Important?

Saliva plays an essential role in maintaining a senior’s oral health and overall well-being. It keeps the senior’s mouth moist and comfortable, helping them chew, taste, and swallow. The primary function of saliva is its role in digesting food using enzymes, making it easier for the stomach to break down. Saliva also protects teeth and gums by washing away food particles to prevent the risk of infection and bad breath. The protein and minerals in saliva protect tooth enamel and prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

One of the most important roles of saliva is keeping the mouth moist, allowing seniors to speak, chew, and swallow comfortably.

What is Drooling?

When the salivary glands produce too much saliva and the senior fails to swallow it, the liquid can leak out of the mouth. This can be due to a variety of factors, such as weakened or impaired muscles around the mouth that increase saliva production. Occasional drooling is not a problem; however, persistent drooling can point to either a harmless or more serious health problem.

What are the Symptoms of Drooling?

In seniors, drooling can be a sign that the muscle control in the mouth and neck is weakening. Drooling is due to having an excessive amount of saliva in your mouth and could be a problem caused by the throat, lips, or something else.

Snoring can be an indicator of poor breathing habits, resulting in more saliva production. Seniors who snore or have sleep apnea may find that they drool in their sleep more often because they breathe through their mouth while sleeping. Furthermore, nasal congestion may make it harder to breathe through the nasal passages, resulting in more drool from the mouth.

What Causes Seniors to Drool?

1. Excessive Saliva Production

Several causes may be behind drooling in the elderly. Drooling can occur when the mouth produces excessive saliva. In the case of hypersalivation, one or more of the salivary glands are overactive. Seniors can have difficulty swallowing the excess saliva as it is produced, leading to drooling.

2. Medication Side Effects

Certain prescription drugs, especially those used to treat Alzheimer’s disease and psychiatric disorders, can cause hypersalivation. Seizure medications, like clonazepam, can cause too much saliva. Medicine for dry mouth for people in radiation therapy, such as pilocarpine, is also responsible for excess saliva production.

3. Stroke

A senior who suffers a stroke may start to drool. The stroke event weakens the muscles around the mouth, making it difficult to swallow. Plus, the weakness causes the senior to struggle to keep the lips firmly closed when at rest. Sudden onset drooling may be caused by a stroke.

4. Neurological Disorders

Conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and ALS can impact the nerves and muscles that encourage swallowing. Decreased motor control is a symptom of Parkinson’s disease. The fine motor controls in the face are adversely affected, making drooling a likelihood in Parkinson’s patients. As the disease progresses, drooling occurs alongside difficulty swallowing, speaking, and maintaining jaw position.

5. Health Conditions

In addition to stroke and Parkinson’s, other diseases may cause hypersalivation in the elderly. Lou Gehrig’s disease (onset is between ages 40 and 70), an enlarged tongue and gastrointestinal reflux disease can lead to the production of excess saliva and consequential drooling.

6. Sleep Position

Drooling may be caused by the position in which the senior sleeps. If the older adult sleeps in a position that leaves their mouth open during the night, saliva is likely to leak out. Changing sleep position is an easy remedy when it is the cause of drooling.

7. Sinus Infection

Another common cause of drooling may be a sinus infection. Seniors with a sinus infection may experience clogged nasal passages. As a result, they may breathe through their mouth. Breathing in this way can cause excess saliva to build up and leak out of the mouth.

8. Oral Health Issues

Several treatable medical infections can impair a senior’s ability to swallow, thereby leading to excessive drooling. Older adults with cavities or dental infections may start to drool. Tonsillitis, strep throat, and acid reflux may also be responsible for drooling in the elderly.

9. Diet

A senior’s diet may cause an overproduction of saliva. The consumption of acidic fruits, vegetables, and other foods can spur excess saliva production in some people. Similarly, a glass of wine can lead to hypersalivation and subsequent drooling. Acidic foods trigger more saliva than sweet foods.

Eating spicy foods can cause the salivary glands to go into overdrive. The taste buds play a big role in how much saliva an older adult’s mouth makes. The taste buds react to spicy and sour foods by producing more saliva, which can lead to drooling.

How Do Seniors Reduce Drooling?

The methods to reduce or stop the drooling in elderly loved ones altogether depend on the cause. If the senior’s food choices lead to drooling, simply change the diet. A visit to a dentist can resolve cavities or dental infections. Once a sinus infection clears, the associated drooling is likely to stop.

Seniors who drool primarily at night may opt to change their sleeping position to enable the jaw to remain shut. If the side effects of certain drugs are responsible for the drooling, the aging individual should discuss their issue with a physician who may adjust the medications.

Occasional drooling can be an embarrassment for older adults. Chronic drooling may be a sign of a serious health issue. In either case, a professional caregiver from Assisting Hands Home Care can keep seniors clean and comfortable by providing help with personal hygiene tasks.

Elder care professionals from our reputable home care agency are responsible for delivering a wide range of non-medical support services in the comfort of the senior’s home. We assist with intimate personal hygiene tasks, such as dressing, bathing, grooming, and toileting.

Our senior home care services extend to transportation to a physical therapist’s office if the senior needs therapy to increase muscular coordination to help them stop drooling. We shop for groceries and prepare nutritious foods, such as those that do not cause hypersalivation.

Companionship is an integral part of our home care services. Caregivers keep seniors socially engaged with games, puzzles, outings, and pleasant conversations. We also join them in hobbies. Our efforts prevent the elderly from succumbing to feelings of loneliness and social isolation.

When your aging loved one could benefit from reliable elder care, choose Assisting Hands Home Care. We are privileged to serve the elderly living in The Villages, Florida. Schedule a free in-home consult and we’ll customize a care plan to meet care needs and enhance quality of life.