Definition of sialorrhea - What it is, Meaning and Concept

The elaboration of excessive levels of saliva is called sialorrhea .This disorder, which is also known as hypersalivation , may be due to excessive stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system or a disease that is recorded in the upper level of the gastrointestinal tract.

The growth of the teeth in children, the intake of certain drugs , the state of pregnancy and some types of poisonings can also cause sialorrhea, a clinical sign that allows doctors, in certain cases, to diagnose diseases .

It should be remembered that the saliva is a fluid of a certain viscosity that is produced in the mouth by the action of the salivary glands.This organic liquid, composed of water , mucus and other elements, is key in digestion because it allows the bolus to form.Saliva also helps oral expression thanks to lubrication; contributes to healing; provides protection against bacteria; and makes it possible to maintain the neutral pH.

The people produce about a liter and a half of saliva every day , although this level decreases with the running of years.Those who suffer from sialorrhea, therefore, have a greater production of saliva: that is, they generate more than one and a half liters of saliva per day for some of the reasons mentioned above.

The opposite of sialorrhea is the hyposalivation : the waning in the production of saliva.It may be asialia (the secretion of saliva is lost in its entirety) or from hyposialia (secretion decreases, but not lost).Both sialorrhea and hyposalivation can be observed and quantified through clinical studies.

It is important to highlight that sialorrhea should be considered a symptom, as explained in a previous paragraph, when some of the conditions that can lead to this excess saliva production are detailed.Medicine does not have many epidemiological studies that can easily find the cause, and therefore diagnose and treat sialorrhea can only be done after carefully studying the clinical history and applying one of several known strategies.

In general, the diagnosis is made by means of a physical examination and a complete history (the analysis of a set of data of a patient coming from his medical history).According to the duration and the intensity of excessive saliva production, the clinical manifestations of this symptom vary.It is common to appreciate dermatitis in the chin area, angular cheilitis (an inflammation that damages the corner of the lip; if the fissures are very serious they can be accompanied bleeding when opening the mouth, and even presenting scabs or ulcers of medium depth) and peeling on the lips when hypersalivation is continuous.

Other symptoms that usually appear along with sialorrhea is muscle fatigue , which arises as a result of forcing the action of swallowing the excess saliva, a certain difficulty in articulating the sounds and alterations in the perception of the flavors.On the other hand there are the consequences p atologics that result in losing proteins, electrolytes and liquids ; In some cases, when salivary incontinence is added to sialorrhea, an inevitable social barrier is created that can threaten the work or student situation, in addition to causing serious psychological problems if it extends for a considerable period.

Saliva incontinence does not come alone: ​​as if it were not enough humiliation for an adult to be unable to avoid spilling saliva, a strong smell also appears due to its accumulation and the face begins to adopt a expression very particular, usually with one end of the "fallen" lower lip.