The problem of drooling while sleeping should not be ignored, as it may be a sign of some diseases. Xiao Liang, 25 years old (China), is a programmer, due to the heavy workload, he often has to work overtime, and even after tiring work hours, he stays up late to play games for a while.

This also makes him very sleepy every morning and only waits until lunch break to start sleeping. Xiao Liang discovered that he was drooling while sleeping, which made him very embarrassed. In order to solve this problem, Xiao liang decided to see a doctor. After the doctor learned that Xiao liang often drooled in the same direction, he asked him to have a CT scan of the brain first. Unexpectedly, the examination showed that Xiao liang’s cerebral blood vessels showed signs of blockage. Fortunately, it was detected early, avoiding the risk of cerebral infarction and cerebral hemorrhage for Xiao liang.

Where does human saliva come from? The process of salivation is controlled by the autonomic nervous system, so the process of salivation is involuntary, like the heartbeat. The glands in the mouth that secrete saliva are the salivary glands... The salivary glands work continuously, in addition to keeping the oral environment moist, saliva also has the function of disinfecting, cleaning the mouth, and helping digestion. In general, healthy adults secrete about 1-1.5 liters of saliva per day, an average of about 30 ml per hour.

If adults suddenly and frequently drool while sleeping, they need to be alert to the following diseases:

1. Oral diseases: Pharyngitis, maxillofacial inflammation, gingivitis can stimulate the secretion of salivary glands, leading to drooling.

2. Facial paralysis: Facial paralysis is a condition of paralysis of the muscles on one side of the face. Due to the asymmetrical strength of the muscles on both sides, it is difficult to hold saliva on the paralyzed side and it is easy to drool whether you are sleeping or not.

3. Gastroesophageal reflux disease: Abnormal gastric acid can increase the salivation reflex, and some patients with gastroesophageal reflux may have drooling symptoms...

4. Parkinson’s disease: In Parkinson’s disease, due to poor swallowing function, saliva is often not swallowed in time. In addition, due to damage to some nerves, saliva secretion also increases, leading to drooling.

5. Cerebral thrombosis: If there is a blockage in the cerebral blood vessels, some of the muscles that control the throat may be dysfunctional, and the patient cannot actively control the muscles while sleeping, causing drooling.

6. Arteriosclerosis: If you have atherosclerosis, it will lead to ischemia and lack of oxygen to the brain, the facial muscles will relax, and the swallowing function will also decrease, making it easy to drool.

To improve drooling while sleeping, there are 3 ways:

1. Change your sleeping position: Sleeping on your back can reduce drooling... Try not to sleep on your stomach.

2. Keep your mouth clean: Keep your mouth clean every day, pay attention to rinsing your mouth as soon as possible after meals, brush your teeth in the morning and evening...

3. Alternative medicine: If you find that your drooling is related to the medicine you are taking, you can talk to your doctor... but remember not to change or stop taking the medicine on your own.