Drooling

 ICD9           = 527.7|
 ICDO           = |
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 OMIM           = |
 MedlinePlus    = 003048 |
 eMedicineSubj  = ent |
 eMedicineTopic = 629 |
 DiseasesDB     = 20764 |

}} Drooling (or "ptyalism") is caused by salivaflowing outside the mouth. Drooling is generally caused by excess production of saliva, inability to retain saliva within the mouth, or problems with swallowing.

Some people with drooling problems are at increased risk of inhaling saliva, food, or fluids into the lungs. However, this is unlikely to cause harm, unless the body's normal reflex mechanisms (such as gaggingand coughing) are also impaired.

Common causes

Isolated drooling in infants and toddlers is normal and is unlikely to be a sign of either disease or complications. It may be associated with teething. Drooling in infants and young children may be exacerbated by upper respiratory infectionsand nasal allergies.

Drooling associated with feveror trouble swallowing may be a sign of a more serious disease including:

• Retropharyngeal abscess
• Peritonsillar abscess
• Tonsilitis
• Mononucleosis
• Strep throat
• Parkinson's_disease

A sudden onset of drooling may indicate poisoning(especially by pesticides) or reaction to snakeor insectvenom. Some medicationscan cause drooling as well. Some neurological problemsalso cause drooling.

Home care

Care for drooling due to teething includes good oral hygiene. Popsiclesor other cold objects (e.g., frozen bagels) may be helpful. Care must be taken to avoid choking when a child uses any of these objects.

External links

• NIH site on drooling

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drooling Wikipedia article Drooling.