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Saliva is one of the most important secretions of the body. If a person is healthy, then he produces up to two liters of this fluid every day, and the process proceeds almost imperceptibly. However, sometimes a thick and viscous saliva, there is a feeling of “stickiness”. In the morning you may find unpleasant mucus in your mouth white, which foams. What such changes indicate, what causes them and how to get rid of the symptoms - all this is worth talking about in detail.

What is saliva for?

The salivary glands in the mouth produce a slightly acidic secretion (usually in daytime the process is more intense - most of it is produced daily norm, while the hours of night rest are characterized by its slowdown), which performs a complex function. Salivary fluid, due to its composition, is required in order to:

• disinfect the oral cavity - reduces the likelihood of developing diseases such as periodontal disease or caries;
• participate in digestion - food moistened with saliva during the chewing process is absorbed better when it enters the stomach;
• enjoy food - for food to reach the taste buds at the root of the tongue, it must be dissolved in the salivary fluid.

How to determine the degree of viscosity of saliva?

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Most often, a person notes that saliva has become too viscous, based on subjective sensations. This can only be determined accurately in laboratory conditions.

IN in good condition the indicator can range from 1.5 to 4 cp - measured relative to distilled water.

In laboratory conditions, a special device is used to carry out this procedure - a viscometer. At home, you can determine how viscous a person’s saliva is using a micropipette (1 ml):

1. draw 1 ml of water into the pipette, holding it vertically, record the volume of liquid that flows out in 10 seconds, repeat the experiment three times;
2. sum up the volume of leaked water and divide it by 3 - you get the average volume of water;
3. do a similar procedure with salivary fluid (you need to collect saliva in the morning on an empty stomach);
4. sum up the volume of leaked water and divide it by 3 - you get the average volume of saliva;
5. The ratio of the average volume of water to the average volume of saliva is an indicator of how viscous the consistency of saliva is.

Reasons why saliva in the mouth is very thick

U healthy person saliva is a clear, slightly cloudy, odorless liquid that does not cause irritation. Any deviations from the norm act as evidence of dysfunction of any organs or systems. Why does saliva thicken in an adult? oral cavity foam or even blood comes out - the reasons can be different - from banal dehydration to serious pathological conditions.

Xerotomia is one of the most common reasons for thick drool. Accompanied by severe dryness of the oral cavity, a burning sensation may be present (some patients complain that saliva “pinches” the tongue), sometimes there is soreness and painful sensations in the throat. It appears as a result of the development of pathologies.

Disorders of the salivary glands

In the morning, very thick drool or foamy mucus appears in the mouth and lips, which also stings the tongue - often the reason lies in the disruption of the corresponding glands (we recommend reading:). When a person’s salivation process is impaired, dry mouth, lips and mucus will be constantly present (we recommend reading:). One of the following reasons can lead to this condition:

Dehydration

Dehydration is the second most common cause of thick saliva. It results from insufficient fluid intake and excessive sweating. Intoxication of the body has a similar effect. Heavy smokers often face this problem. If the only symptom is thick saliva, then we are talking about dehydration.

Other causes of sticky and stringy saliva

Sticky and viscous salivary fluid viscous consistency can be a symptom of a number of pathological and natural conditions of the body. Women often encounter this phenomenon during pregnancy - due to an imbalance of microelements, a violation water-salt balance, frequent urination, gestosis or hyperhidrosis. Changes in saliva viscosity can be caused by:

Treatment of diseases of the salivary glands

To develop an effective treatment strategy, it is important, first of all, to diagnose the original source of the pathological condition.

If the problems are caused by infectious or fungal diseases, inflammatory processes, then the main pathology is treated first, after which they begin to normalize the function of the salivary glands.

The doctor also offers the patient symptomatic treatment:

• oral moisturizers/artificial saliva (in gel or spray form);
• medicinal candies or chewing gums;
• special rinses;
• chemicals (if saliva is not produced);
• correction of drinking regime.

The condition of dry mouth is called xerostomia. Dryness occurs because there is not enough saliva produced. Depending on the degree of dryness, it may be difficult for a person to swallow, speak, eat, and distinguish the taste of food. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, there may be following symptoms dry mouth: sticky feeling, difficulty swallowing and chewing, burning sensation, dry throat, chapped lips, rough dry tongue, mouth ulcers and infections. In people with these symptoms increased risk development of caries, oral infections and gum diseases. Luckily, there are several options that, when combined correctly, can help increase saliva production and reduce dry mouth.

Steps

Change your diet

Drink plenty of water. Drink at least 2 liters of water (that's about 8 glasses) per day. This is the first thing you need to do to get rid of dry mouth condition. Drink in small sips throughout the day. Add water and other liquids to your food, for example, eat more soups and cereals.

Eat foods that increase salivation. Eat sour and tart foods: lemons, limes, sour candies, pickles, kiwi.

Chew chewing gum sugarless. Chewing motions will help stimulate saliva production. Chewing gum MUST be sugar-free, because sugar contributes to tooth decay.

Eliminate foods and drinks from your diet causing dryness in the mouth. Avoid alcohol, coffee, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and salty foods. Processed foods, e.g. instant cooking and canned food often contains excessive a large number of salt, so you should also avoid these foods. They promote moisture loss.

Avoid regularly rinsing your mouth with special mouthwashes because they often contain alcohol or peroxide, which can cause your mouth to feel dry. So use mouthwashes that contain xylitol instead, which is often added to foods to minimize the feeling of dry mouth.

Use products that produce artificial saliva. There are several medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, that create artificial saliva or stimulate the production of your own saliva. Artificial saliva is not a complete replacement for your own saliva as it does not contain the digestive and antibacterial enzymes found in real saliva. However, this saliva will help relieve discomfort and dryness. Products that imitate the action of real saliva - sprays, toothpastes, mouth rinses. Most of these products are available without a prescription. If you cannot find the product at the pharmacy yourself, ask a pharmacist to help you.

Breathe through your nose as much as possible. If you find it easier to breathe through your mouth, you will have to make an effort. If you have a stuffy nose, you may have problems. Then you should moisturize your nasal passages with a nasal spray, and you should also treat the congestion.

Use a humidifier. A humidifier is especially useful in dry regions or during the winter months when the air in your home becomes drier due to heating. It is best to use this device at night when you are sleeping. Follow the manufacturer's instructions when using a humidifier. Remember that overusing a humidifier is also harmful: moisture will begin to condense on walls and other surfaces, which can lead to mold growth. It's best to avoid sitting in front of a heater, fan, or air conditioner because they can reduce the level of moisture in your body, making your mouth feel more dry.

Our expert - dentist, candidate medical sciences Marianna Trofimova.

Saliva deficiency (xerostomia) is only a trifle at first glance. After all, he can cause a lot of trouble.

From stomatitis to pharyngitis

Besides main function- moisten food and facilitate digestion - we need saliva to wash away food debris, plaque and bacteria from the mouth, moisturize the mucous membrane and thus protect it from damage.

In addition, saliva contains important minerals that strengthen tooth enamel. This important liquid helps to effectively repel attacks of microbes that cause caries, periodontitis, glossitis, stomatitis and others. dental diseases. In addition, a deficiency of saliva provokes diseases of the ENT organs (sore throat, pharyngitis, etc.). And for this reason, people lose their sense of taste, and even the most appetizing food ceases to bring pleasure. And crackers and croutons generally become too tough. Also, people with xerostomia suffer from constant thirst, problems with swallowing, their tongue often itches, their lips crack, their breath smells bad, and sometimes it’s even difficult to speak. Of course, it all depends on the stage of the process. But it is better not to start it and consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Medical examination required

Another question is which doctor to go to with this problem. And here difficulties arise, because xerostomia is not a disease, but a symptom inherent in a bunch of various diseases. However, it still makes sense to make the first visit to the dentist.

The doctor will find out how the salivary glands function. There are several methods for this. The most common - sialometry - allows you to determine the rate of salivation. Saliva is collected into special metal cannulas or polyethylene catheters and its quantity is measured. There is also a simpler way: on an area of ​​the mucous membrane on lower lip, colored with methylene blue, a 1% solution of the drug is dripped, under the influence of which a secretion is released in the form of drops. This secret is measured.

More complex methods, such as scintigraphy and sialography of the salivary glands, which determine the functional activity of the salivary glands, are usually performed in a hospital.

If the salivary glands are in order, then we need to look for the causes of the “drought” in other places.

It would be a good idea to visit an ENT doctor, since such symptoms are characteristic of chronic subtrophic rhinopharyngolaryngitis, which often occurs in older people. The cause may also be prolonged difficulty in nasal breathing (for example, due to nasal polyps or a deviated nasal septum, patients are forced to breathe through the mouth, which causes the mucous membranes to quickly dry out). Dryness of the mucous membrane that arises for these reasons can be eliminated by rinsing the nasal cavity with saline solutions or saline solutions, or moisturizing the nasal cavity with oils - olive, sesame, peach.

Didn't ENT find anything suspicious? Then you should visit an endocrinologist, since another cause of dry mouth may be diabetes. Check your blood sugar just in case. And don’t be lazy to donate blood for hormones thyroid gland, since xerostomia often accompanies thyrotoxicosis. Two more specialists who may also benefit from a visit are a gastroenterologist and a neurologist. In older people, xerostomia is often associated with stomach diseases such as anacid gastritis. This symptom also occurs with neurological disorders, including very dangerous ones - for example, incipient Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke, etc.

This is the side effect

It is necessary to pay attention to other circumstances.

It is known that saliva production can be disrupted long-term use various drugs, especially sleeping pills and depressants arterial pressure. Medicines with similar side effect, - about 400, among them antidepressants and tranquilizers, decongestants and antihistamines etc.

Xerostomia can also occur from rinsing the mouth too frequently, especially if alcohol-containing rinses are used.

You should also know that dry mouth is typical side effect radiation therapy, especially if malignant tumor located in the head or neck area.

Finally, dry mouth may occur if a person has recently had some viral infections, such as mumps (mumps), or if he is experiencing long-term depression, which can also reduce salivation.

Atrophy of the salivary glands can also occur simply due to old age or because a person experiences insufficient chewing load and eats mainly liquid, pureed, soft food. Therefore, for prevention, chew carrots more often.

Need stimulation!

Elimination of dry mouth depends on the cause that caused it. If it's all about concomitant disease(diabetes, gastritis, thyrotoxicosis or something else), then the first thing you need to do is treat the underlying ailment.

If the cause is the medications you are taking, they should be discontinued and replaced with similar ones. Well, if the lazy salivary glands turn out to be the “culprit”, you can try to stimulate them using special devices (for example, an electrical stimulator of the tongue and palate) or drugs.

For example, in such cases, a 3% solution of potassium iodide is often prescribed, 1 tablespoon 2 times a day, a 1% solution of pilocarpine, 4-5 drops in the evening, medicinal herbs(coltsfoot, elecampane, thermopsis). Lubricating the oral cavity with a solution of vitamin A helps to moisturize dry mucous membranes and heal wounds and cracks.

In more severe cases they use novocaine blockades in the area of ​​the parotid and submandibular salivary glands and physiotherapeutic procedures, such as galvanotherapy, electrophoresis with potassium iodide and vibration massage.

Sometimes doctors prescribe “artificial saliva” preparations in the form of a rinse, spray and gel, but due to their more viscous consistency than natural saliva, they are not suitable for everyone.

help yourself

But you can do something yourself to alleviate your condition.

Drink more water. But not in one gulp, but regularly, sip by sip, throughout the day. Keep water by your bed at night. If you don't suffer increased acidity gastric juice, add lemon juice or juice to your drink sour berries(cranberries, lingonberries).

Limit your coffee and alcohol intake, which have diuretic and dehydrating effects.

Quit smoking. Because of this bad habit dry mouth gets worse.

Massage your gums with your tongue and inner surface cheeks, suck on hard objects (for example, a plum pit) - this will increase the flow of saliva.

A deficiency of saliva contributes to dental diseases, so Brush your teeth correctly and regularly, use toothbrush with soft bristles, dental floss and, if possible, an irrigator. Rinse your mouth with fluoride rinses and herbal infusions. Have your enamel fluoridated periodically at your dentist. Do not use rinses containing alcohol.

Chew celery or carrots- they moisturize the mouth well and provide good chewing load.

Avoid eating salty and dry foods (crackers, crackers), as well as drinks with high content Sahara.

Chew gum and suck sugar-free candy. They stimulate the activity of the salivary glands, thereby preventing dry mouth. But you need to use chewing gum only 15 minutes after eating and no longer than 5-7 minutes, otherwise gastritis and ulcers will occur.

If there are no stomach problems, add a little hot pepper to your food- it contains the alkaloid capsaicin, which enhances the secretion of body fluids - sweat, tears, saliva.

Humidify indoor air. Steam heating and air conditioning dehydrate indoor air, which worsens dry mouth. Therefore, place humidifiers in your apartment or at least basins of water near the radiator.