Why drool when teething

Our Mission. Find a Pediatrician. Text Size. Drooling and Your Baby. Page Content. The Role of Saliva Drooling fulfills several important functions for your baby. Softens and moistens food once solids are part of your baby's diet Keeps your baby's mouth moist Makes it easier for your baby him to swallow Washes away food residues Protects your baby's teeth Saliva also contains ptyalin, a digestive enzyme that changes starch into sugar. Additional Information on HealthyChildren.

The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. My best friend mixes water with the pouches of baby food and freezes them to make fruit and veggie popsicles. There are teething rings, chew beads and any commercially bought teething toys can help, especially when chilled or frozen.

This is caused by pain in the gums, which can travel to the cheek and ear, especially when the molars are erupting. Infants will rub those areas. Many believe that the increased saliva produced during teething can cause stool to become slightly loose. I also hope this helps ease the potential stress experienced by many parents. Just remember, that many symptoms we think are teething can be associated with illness, may be completely unrelated to teething and may need to be addressed by a physician.

July 10 , RN Remedies. When Does Teething Begin for Infants? Coughing The extra saliva produced during teething can cause an occasional cough or gag. Biting and Gnawing The counter pressure from biting on practically anything can alleviate the pressure from under the gums. Here are the main symptoms that have been proven: Drooling. Increased spit and drooling. Face rash from drooling. The drool contains little bits of food that are irritating to the skin. Increased need to chew on things.

Gum Pain. Gum pain is mild and not always present. May be due to mouth germs getting into the new break in the gum. Most often, your baby just acts a little more fussy. There's not enough discomfort to cause crying. Muscular, Genetic, or Neurological Disorders : Excessive drooling can result from these disorders that affect motor skills such as swallowing:.

Medications: Sometimes, medications prescribed for a specific health issue can result in excessive drooling while others cause dry mouth. Medications for some of the conditions and disorders listed above can ramp up the saliva overflow.

Additionally, some antipsychotics can lead to hypersialorrhea. For example, a side effect of clozapine, commonly used to treat schizophrenia, is hypersalivation. Check your medications to see if excessive drooling — or any of its more clinical names — is among their side effects.

No matter the hypersialorrhea cause, the good news is that there's probably a treatment. It might take a village of health care professionals looking out for you dentists, occupational therapists, neurologists, and primary care physicians, among them , but help is available.

Sometimes the solution is as simple as treating the underlying cause — like the infection and another health-related condition. This might involve antibiotics or surgery, such as a tonsillectomy. Or substituting equally effective medications might solve excessive drooling. But if you or a loved one deals with a muscular, genetic, or neurological disorder, you might ask your doctor or dentist about the following types of treatments.

Injections: One effective treatment is botulinum toxin type A aka Botox injections into your salivary glands. Expect to get three-four injections per year. Medications: Allergy medicines and anticholinergic drugs can manage hypersalivation.

The Parkinson's Foundation also lists a scopolamine patch and atropine drops as ways to reduce saliva production. But please ask your doctor or pharmacist about side effects before taking these medications. Surgery: Proven effective for children and adults has been removing, relocating, and closing off certain glands and ducts related to the salivary glands.

Some of these procedures might be even more successful with other treatment types. Speech, Behavioral, or Occupation Therapy: Learning to strengthen, control, or move your tongue can go a long way to managing your saliva output.