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Published on: 3/17/2025

What Causes Drooling From the Corners of My Mouth?

Drooling from the corners of your mouth can happen when extra saliva builds up and isn’t swallowed, often because of conditions like burning mouth syndrome or side effects from medications.

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Explanation

Drooling from the corners of your mouth means you have extra saliva that isn’t being cleared away quickly enough. This may occur for a few reasons. Sometimes, a condition like burning mouth syndrome makes your mouth feel uncomfortable and changes how saliva feels and moves, causing it to pool near the corners. Certain medications can also change the way your body makes or handles saliva, making you produce more or have trouble swallowing it normally. When you’re talking, eating, or concentrating, you might not swallow as often and the extra saliva might collect at the corners of your mouth. In all these cases, the extra saliva can drip out because it isn’t being cleared away by regular swallowing. If you find this drooling bothersome or if there are other changes in your mouth, it might help to talk with a healthcare provider who can check if a condition or medication might be the cause and suggest possible solutions for you.

(References)

  • Canfora F, Calabria E, Spagnuolo G, Coppola N, Armogida NG, Mazzaccara C, Solari D, D'Aniello L, Aria M, Pecoraro G, Mignogna MD, Leuci S, Adamo D. Salivary Complaints in Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Cross Sectional Study on 500 Patients. J Clin Med. 2023 Aug 26;12(17):5561. doi: 10.3390/jcm12175561. PMID: 37685630; PMCID: PMC10488611.

  • Silvestre-Donat FJ, Silvestre-Rangil J. Drooling. Monogr Oral Sci. 2014;24:126-34. doi: 10.1159/000358793. Epub 2014 May 23. PMID: 24862600.

  • Freudenreich O. Drug-induced sialorrhea. Drugs Today (Barc). 2005 Jun;41(6):411-8. doi: 10.1358/dot.2005.41.6.893628. PMID: 16110348.

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