Why Am I Drooling So Much? Common Causes of Excessive Saliva.

Reviewed by Yoshinori Abe, MD

Internal Medicine

Excess saliva production, medically known as sialorrhea or hypersalivation, occurs when your salivary glands produce more saliva than your mouth can comfortably manage. Common causes include:

Normal body responses: pregnancy, hunger, or exposure to certain smells and foods
Medications: such as clozapine, pilocarpine, or certain seizure drugs
Medical conditions: including acid reflux (GERD), oral infections, sinus infections, or neurological disorders like Parkinson's disease, stroke, or Bell's palsy
Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia): which causes saliva to pool rather than be cleared normally

While occasional excess saliva is usually harmless, persistent hypersalivation can signal an underlying issue that deserves attention—especially if paired with symptoms like difficulty swallowing, drooling, speech changes, or heartburn.

Because the causes range from mild to more serious, identifying your specific triggers is the fastest way to find relief. Take a free, instant, online symptom check to better understand what may be driving your symptoms and get personalized guidance on your next steps—no signup required.

Reviewed for medical accuracy: 07/15/2026

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Explanation

Your body naturally makes saliva to help you chew, swallow, and keep your mouth healthy, and sometimes it produces extra saliva in response to certain triggers. For example, you might produce more saliva when you see or smell food, which is a normal reaction. However, medications can also lead to more saliva by stimulating the salivary glands.

In some cases, medical conditions that affect the nerves or muscles in your mouth and throat—such as certain neurological diseases or oropharyngeal and esophageal disorders—can slow down your swallowing, causing saliva to build up. The studies on salivation explain that changes in your body from illness or side effects of drugs, can lead to what we call sialorrhea, or excessive drooling.

Additionally, issues with the glands themselves, like inflammation or infection, might change how much saliva is produced. If you notice this is a new or worsening problem, you can check your symptoms to better understand what might be causing the excess saliva and when to seek medical attention, so a healthcare provider can identify any underlying issues and offer ways to manage the extra saliva.

(References)

Alhajj M, Babos M. Physiology, Salivation. [Updated 2023 Jul 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet].
Boyce HW, Bakheet MR. Sialorrhea: a review of a vexing, often unrecognized sign of oropharyngeal and esophageal disease. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2005 Feb;39(2):89-97. PMID: 15681902.
Iorgulescu G. Saliva between normal and pathological. Important factors in determining systemic and oral health. J Med Life. 2009 Jul-Sep;2(3):303-7. PMID: 20112475; PMCID: PMC5052503.

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