Excessive salivation during pregnancy
I seem to be salivating more than usual since I got pregnant. Is this normal?
Some women feel as though they're salivating more than usual during pregnancy, especially when they're nauseated. A few women have so much saliva they need to spit some out to deal with it. Excessive salivation is called ptyalism or sialorrhea, and while it can be unpleasant for you, it won't affect your baby.
Experts don't know what causes some women to have excessive salivation in early pregnancy, but hormonal changes may be a culprit. Also, nausea might make some women try to swallow less, causing saliva to build up in the mouth. Ptyalism is more common among women suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness
Under normal circumstances, your salivary glands produce about one and a half quarts of saliva a day, but because swallowing happens continually and unconsciously, you don't generally notice the saliva. So if you suddenly seem to have a lot more saliva in your mouth, it may be because you're actually producing more saliva or because you're swallowing less – or a combination of the two.
Increased salivation can also be related to heartburn, which is common during pregnancy. The contents of your stomach are acidic, and when they back up on you, they irritate your esophagus and cause the burning sensation so familiar to heartburn sufferers. The acid sensors in your esophagus then trigger your salivary glands to produce saliva that has an increased concentration of bicarbonate, which is alkaline.
Each time you swallow, your saliva bathes the walls of your esophagus and helps neutralize the gastric acid. This may also explain why women who are vomiting tend to salivate more.
Other irritants, like smoke, may also cause increased salivation, as can tooth decay and other oral infections, certain medications, exposure to toxins such as mercury and pesticides, and some medical problems.
It may be small comfort at this point, but besides neutralizing gastric acid, saliva performs a lot of other important functions, including lubricating your mouth and producing enzymes that aid in digestion. It also contains proteins with antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties that help protect your teeth and mouth.
Under normal circumstances, your salivary glands produce about one and a half quarts of saliva a day, but because swallowing happens continually and unconsciously, you don't generally notice the saliva. So if you suddenly seem to have a lot more saliva in your mouth, it may be because you're actually producing more saliva or because you're swallowing less – or a combination of the two.
Increased salivation can also be related to heartburn, which is common during pregnancy. The contents of your stomach are acidic, and when they back up on you, they irritate your esophagus and cause the burning sensation so familiar to heartburn sufferers. The acid sensors in your esophagus then trigger your salivary glands to produce saliva that has an increased concentration of bicarbonate, which is alkaline.
Each time you swallow, your saliva bathes the walls of your esophagus and helps neutralize the gastric acid. This may also explain why women who are vomiting tend to salivate more.
Other irritants, like smoke, may also cause increased salivation, as can tooth decay and other oral infections, certain medications, exposure to toxins such as mercury and pesticides, and some medical problems.
It may be small comfort at this point, but besides neutralizing gastric acid, saliva performs a lot of other important functions, including lubricating your mouth and producing enzymes that aid in digestion. It also contains proteins with antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties that help protect your teeth and mouth.
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