Patient's question:
Daughter is 18 months old and drools a lot, what should I do? Thank you!Doctor's answer:
Hello: The issue of excessive drooling in children can be explained by the characteristics of their oral cavity. The oral cavity of a child changes as it grows and develops. Newborns have no teeth, a short and wide tongue, thick fatty layers in their cheeks, well-developed facial muscles, and thickened, mucous membranes in their alveolar ridges. All of these features facilitate gripping the nipple and coordinating sucking movements during feeding. Due to the absence of erupted teeth and underdeveloped alveolar ridges, infants' palates and oral floors are relatively shallow. Between 6 to 7 months of age, the amount of saliva secreted gradually increases, but during this period, the swallowing reflex is not yet sensitive. Saliva is not blocked by alveolar ridges and is not swallowed. As a result, children often drool during this time, and this is a physiological form of drooling that does not require treatment. As the child grows, teeth erupt, alveolar ridges gradually form, the palate slowly rises, the oral floor gradually deepens, and swallowing movements are trained, the drooling phenomenon will improve.Parents should pay attention that in some cases, drooling in infants is pathological, indicating that the child may be suffering from certain diseases. For example, if a child drools excessively and has cracked, inflamed corners of the mouth, it is likely due to angular cheilitis. If accompanied by redness or ulcers in the oral mucosa, refusal to eat, and irritability, it may be caused by oral inflammation. If accompanied by unilateral or bilateral facial muscle atrophy and weak chewing ability, it could be due to poor digestion or intestinal helminthiasis. If accompanied by intellectual disability or dementia, it may be due to underdevelopment of the brain's nervous system. These pathological forms of drooling require medical examination and treatment. Generally, if the underlying cause is eliminated, the child's drooling will improve or resolve.
Since saliva contains digestive