What Are the Reasons for Drooling While Awake?

When you're awake, your mouth makes saliva all the time. Normally, you swallow it without thinking about it. However, sometimes extra saliva can build up if your brain or muscles don’t work perfectly. For example, in neurological conditions like Parkinson's disease, the muscles that help you swallow may not work as they should, so saliva dribbles out. Some medications can also change how much saliva your body makes or weaken the muscles that keep it in your mouth. This drug-induced increase in saliva is known as sialorrhea. Other times, if there is an issue with the salivary glands themselves, it can make your mouth produce too much saliva. When these things happen, the extra saliva can spill out, causing drooling. If you notice drooling while awake and it bothers you, it’s a good idea to talk with a healthcare provider to see if a condition or medication might be causing the problem, and to explore treatment options.