What causes a sensation of drooling on the right side of the mouth?

Reviewed by Yoshinori Abe, MD

Internal Medicine

Feeling like you're drooling from one side of your mouth is often caused by uneven saliva control, typically due to nerve or muscle weakness affecting one side of the face. Common causes include Bell's palsy, stroke, dental issues, or temporary nerve irritation. In some cases, sleep position or jaw misalignment can also contribute.

Because one-sided drooling can occasionally signal a serious neurological condition — especially if paired with facial droop, slurred speech, or arm weakness — it's important not to ignore it. The fastest way to understand what may be behind your symptoms is to take a free, instant, online symptom check. In just a few minutes, you'll get personalized insights based on your specific symptoms, helping you decide whether to monitor at home, book a routine visit, or seek urgent care.

Reviewed for medical accuracy: 07/15/2026

Important Next Steps

Learn if one-sided drooling needs urgent care Discover likely causes of drooling on one side Find out if your drooling is serious See over-the-counter options for drooling symptoms Find a doctor for facial weakness and drooling Understand home remedies for drooling control Check if one-sided mouth drooling signals stroke

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Explanation

Sometimes your body might not manage saliva equally on both sides, which can make you feel like you're drooling more on one side. This happens when nerves or muscles that help you swallow and keep saliva in your mouth work less well on one side.

Conditions affecting your brain or nerves, such as Parkinson's disease, are known to sometimes cause this kind of imbalance. Research shows that altered signals to the salivary glands and muscles can lead to extra saliva pooling on one side. In other words, one side might be more active or less controlled, making it feel like drooling is occurring.

Even if it's just a sensation, it could be due in part to how some neurological conditions change the normal process of swallowing. If this sensation continues or bothers you, you can check your symptoms to better understand what might be causing this imbalance and get personalized guidance on next steps, or speak with a healthcare provider who can check the balance of nerve and muscle function in your mouth and discuss treatment options to help manage the issue.

(References)

Lakraj AA, Moghimi N, Jabbari B. Sialorrhea: anatomy, pathophysiology and treatment with emphasis on the role of botulinum toxins. Toxins (Basel). 2013 May 21;5(5):1010-31. doi: 10.3390/toxins5051010. PMID: 23698357; PMCID: PMC3709276.
Morgante F, Bavikatte G, Anwar F, Mohamed B. The burden of sialorrhoea in chronic neurological conditions: current treatment options and the role of incobotulinumtoxinA (Xeomin®). Ther Adv Neurol Disord. 2019 Nov 28;12:1756286419888601. doi: 10.1177/1756286419888601. PMID: 31819763; PMCID: PMC6883364.
Srivanitchapoom P, Pandey S, Hallett M. Drooling in Parkinson's disease: a review. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2014 Nov;20(11):1109-18. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2014.08.013. Epub 2014 Aug 27. PMID: 25200111; PMCID: PMC4252747.

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