Consistency is one of the characteristics of salivary fluid in the mouth, which few people think about for no reason. Most often, a person learns that it can change when the metabolism in his body is disrupted. However, saliva in the mouth can become viscous and sticky for a variety of reasons, and the treatment of the defect directly depends on what exactly was the prerequisite for its development.
Saliva is normal
The salivary glands of a healthy adult produce from one to two liters of secretion every day. The purpose of this liquid is to lubricate the oral cavity to facilitate chewing and speaking. Thanks to the secretion, the digestion of food begins at the moment of chewing it, since saliva contains active enzymes. The perception of the taste of foods also depends on the degree of their processing by salivary fluid.
Saliva is the first most accessible natural antiseptic. This is why small wounds in the mouth heal much faster than on the skin.
In order for all these processes to proceed exactly as needed, salivation must be sufficient, and the discharge itself must be transparent or slightly cloudy, liquid and imperceptible to humans. A violation of the usual consistency of saliva cannot be ignored, as an obsessive feeling of discomfort is created, speech and the usual rhythm of life are disrupted, and problems with digestion, teeth and oral mucous membranes are possible.
What should you be wary of?
Typically, patients' complaints are related to the fact that in the morning their saliva is not as usual: thick, sticky or foamy. In such cases, accompanying symptoms may occur:
- violation of taste perception;
- constant dry mouth and throat;
- feeling of persistent thirst;
- tingling sensation on the tongue;
- difficulty and pain when chewing and swallowing food;
- sore throat and hoarseness;
- cracks on the lips;
- rapid formation of plaque on teeth;
- inflammatory processes in the oral cavity and gums.
All these phenomena may be a consequence of changes in the composition, quantity and viscosity of saliva. A simple test that you can take yourself in the morning on an empty stomach will help you verify the validity of such suspicions or dispel them. To do this, you need to get a pipette with marked divisions and a stopwatch.
First, you need to put a milliliter of ordinary water into a pipette and observe how long it takes for it to flow out. Then you need to do the same with the salivary fluid. It remains to compare the two indicators - normally, they should be approximately the same.
But self-examination is a subjective thing, therefore, if there is any suspicion of a serious malfunction in the body, you should contact specialists to conduct accurate laboratory tests. Doctors determine whether the consistency of saliva is normal using a viscometer. If he confirms that the patient really has too thick saliva in his mouth, the doctor will determine the cause of the defect and prescribe the necessary treatment. Diagnosis will require additional tests and consultations with specialists, so self-medication in such a situation is unacceptable.
How to get rid of discomfort?
If the increase in saliva thickness is associated with temporary hormonal imbalances, the problem does not require drug treatment, since it will disappear on its own after some time. If there are serious diseases, it is necessary to carry out their timely treatment.
In other cases, the condition can be alleviated using the following procedures:
- Rinse . The rinse is selected exclusively as prescribed by a doctor. Sometimes it is enough to use a soda-salt solution or a decoction of medicinal herbs. If it is necessary to eliminate the symptoms of laryngitis, you cannot do without more serious antiseptics, which include Hexoral.
- Moistening the throat. To normalize the moisture of the mucous membrane, saliva substitutes are used. They are available in the form of sprays, drops or gel, which should be used every morning. Often their composition is additionally enriched with antibacterial components, which eliminate harmful microorganisms that colonize the mouth.
It is important to maintain water balance in the body. - Help with expectoration . To increase the production and dilution of sputum, they are used as pharmaceutical and natural mucolytics. Their appointment is scheduled individually.
- Using chewing gum. Short-term chewing of sugar-free gum stimulates the production of salivary fluid while simultaneously cleansing the mouth of food debris.
To prevent dry mouth, it is recommended to stop smoking and also monitor the body’s water balance. Frequent walks in the fresh air and regular ventilation of the bedroom are also useful.
Why is saliva viscous and stringy?
A symptom such as thick drool often causes dehydration due to insufficient fluid intake and intoxication , accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea. In addition, the cause of thick saliva may lie in the side effects of medications. Diuretics and choleretic drugs, antihistamines and antidepressants, as well as a number of painkillers, radiation and chemotherapy can cause malfunction of the salivary glands. In these cases, stopping or replacing the drug is enough to solve the problem.
Experienced smokers often experience dry mouth mucous membranes, which is accompanied by the appearance of viscous, sticky saliva. For some, such a violation accompanies them until they completely give up the bad habit.
The cause of viscous or foamy saliva may be a natural hormonal imbalance that occurs during pregnancy, menopause, or adolescence in adolescents. No drug therapy is required in these cases.
Mumps
When the root of the problem lies in internal diseases, it can be very difficult to determine the true cause. Some diseases directly complicate the work of the salivary glands : with mumps, Mikulicz's disease and sialostasis, the glands enlarge and become painful, secretion production is significantly reduced, and salivary stone disease and neoplasms can even lead to their surgical removal. In any of these cases, the saliva may take on an unusual consistency. Cystic fibrosis, scleroderma, Sjogren's syndrome, HIV, retinol deficiency, and anemia can also manifest themselves in a similar way.
The reason for the appearance of unusually thick and viscous saliva in the mouth can also be an injury that causes rupture of the ducts or gland tissue. In this case, you will need the help of a surgeon. Various internal diseases can affect the functioning of the salivary glands and the properties of their secretions:
- neurological;
- hormonal;
- gastrointestinal;
- autoimmune;
- rheumatoid;
- psychosomatic.
Dryness and stickiness in the mouth, accompanied by a decrease or complete absence of saliva and resulting from deep internal pathologies, is called xerostomia. Associated symptoms of the disease are redness of the tongue, cracks and jams on the lips, soreness in the mouth and throat. Xerostomia develops progressively, depending on the cause, the pathology can be temporary or permanent - both require timely treatment under the supervision of a doctor.
Sticky mucus can look and feel different. Thick sputum is white, foamy, thick, viscous, and can create a feeling of a “lump in the throat.”
Treatment
Help before diagnosis
To improve the discharge of viscous sputum, the postural drainage method is used: patting and tapping on the chest, being in a position with the head end down. Patients in satisfactory condition are recommended dosed physical activity. Special breathing exercises work effectively. Thick sputum production is a symptom of serious illness, so you should consult a doctor.
Conservative therapy
The main drugs for eliminating viscous sputum are mucolytics. Medicines consist of proteolytic enzymes and other active substances that thin bronchial mucus, improve expectoration, and eliminate congestion. To increase the effectiveness of mucolytics, they are combined with secretomotor drugs, which increase the volume of mucous secretions and accelerate their elimination. For etiopathogenetic purposes, therapy is also used:
- Antibiotics
. Prescribed for prolonged pneumonia, aggravated chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis. They are selected taking into account the antibiogram. As a rule, a combination of 3-4 drugs intended for long-term use is selected in the treatment regimen for tuberculosis. - Bronchodilators
. Medicines from the group of beta-2 agonists and M-anticholinergics expand the lumen of the airways and improve the removal of viscous sputum. They eliminate the phenomena of shortness of breath and obstruction, and are effective for providing emergency assistance during an attack of suffocation. - Anti-inflammatory drugs
. Mild forms of pulmonary diseases respond well to treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Inhaled corticosteroids are also used, which relieve swelling of the bronchi and reduce mucus production. For long-term therapy, those suffering from bronchial asthma are prescribed sodium cromoglycate. - Antiallergic drugs
. Tablet forms are used: antihistamines, leukotriene receptor inhibitors. For atopic bronchial asthma in the period of remission, allergen-specific immunotherapy is performed.
Physiotherapeutic techniques are effective for liquefying viscous sputum: inhalations with alkaline solutions and medications, vibration massage of the chest, electrophoresis. Patients are recommended to take exercise therapy and regular breathing exercises. For chronic respiratory diseases, courses of speleotherapy and sanatorium-resort treatment are indicated.
White saliva
Thrush in the mouth
The cause of the appearance of thick white saliva should be sought in fungal infections of the oral cavity and nasopharynx. Most often, this pathology is observed with candidiasis, known as stomatitis or thrush. It usually develops in children, but sometimes appears in adults.
The salivary fluid is colored white by deposits in the form of a cheesy coating characteristic of this infection, which cover the mucous membranes of the mouth. To get rid of the disease, local and internal antifungal drugs are used to strengthen the immune system.
Causes of sticky saliva in the throat
Saliva can not only foam, but also seem to get stuck in the throat. In this case, it is necessary to examine an ENT doctor for damage to the tonsils and larynx. Purulent forms of tonsillitis or tonsillitis are accompanied by the appearance of plaques on the tonsils, which create discomfort and pain, and when opened, they release purulent contents into the pharynx, increasing the saturation of sputum.
Gum disease accompanied by the discharge of pus may also be an explanation for why saliva has become thick, viscous and felt in the throat. Such diseases include periodontitis, periodontal disease, cysts, cellulitis and abscesses. Sticky pus from the affected areas of the gums mixes with saliva and makes swallowing difficult.
How to relieve the condition when saliva is viscous and stringy
A person whose saliva thickens and foams experiences a lot of unpleasant sensations. In addition to discomfort, outbreaks of diseases of the throat, tongue, and gums may become more frequent, and teeth become more vulnerable to caries. Therefore, this symptom must be eliminated using conservative and traditional methods of treatment.
Having determined why the saliva in the patient’s mouth has become thick and viscous, the doctor will prescribe treatment for the underlying disease that caused xerostomia, as well as auxiliary local methods that will help quickly return to normal life:
- artificial saliva;
- various oral moisturizers in an easy-to-use form (gel or spray);
- specialized rinses;
- special chewing gum and lollipops;
- drinking plenty of fluids.
Folk remedies for the treatment of xerostomia include sage or fenugreek tea, lubrication of the oral cavity with a mixture of peach oil and propolis, and inhalations with eucalyptus. But it is better to discuss these treatment methods with your doctor.
It would not be superfluous to purchase an air humidifier for the room and give up tobacco, alcohol, soda and coffee, which additionally dehydrate the mucous membranes. The consumption of dairy products will also have to be minimized. The daily volume of clean water consumption should be at least one and a half liters. During this period, it is better to choose a toothbrush with soft bristles so as not to injure dehydrated gum tissue.
Don't wait until unusual sensations in your mouth develop into unbearable ones. The viscosity of saliva is one of the serious indicators of the health of the body. If it deviates from the norm, action must be taken.
Prevention
You can prevent such an unpleasant phenomenon as viscosity and unpleasant taste of saliva if you follow the following rules:
- drink enough fluid (up to 1.5 liters per day);
- give up bad habits (smoking, alcohol);
- replace coffee with green tea;
- install a humidifier;
- eat right: increase the amount of vegetables, fruits, and grains you consume;
- rinse your mouth with water and salt;
- Visit your dentist regularly and promptly treat oral diseases.
Increased viscosity of saliva indicates the presence of health problems. Often these problems can be quite serious. Therefore, you should undergo a full diagnosis and establish the exact cause. This is where treatment begins.
You cannot prescribe medications for yourself - this must be done by a doctor. Do not overuse traditional medicine recipes: incorrect proportions of raw materials can cause an allergic reaction and aggravate your health condition.
