Hypersalivation is excessive production of saliva

Saliva

Saliva , referred to in various contexts as spit, spittle, drivel, drool, or slobber, is the watery substance produced in the mouths of humans and most other animals. Saliva is a component of oral fluid. In mammals, saliva is produced in and secreted from the three pairs of major salivary glands,...

. It has also been defined as increased amount of saliva in the mouth, which may also be caused by decreased clearance of saliva.

Hypersalivation can contribute to drooling

Drooling

Drooling is when saliva flows outside the mouth...

 if there's inability to keep the mouth closed or in difficulty in swallowing

Dysphagia

Dysphagia is the medical term for the symptom of difficulty in swallowing. Although classified under "symptoms and signs" in ICD-10, the term is sometimes used as a condition in its own right. Sufferers are sometimes unaware of their dysphagia....

the excess saliva.

Excessive production

Conditions that can cause saliva overproduction include:

• Pregnancy
• Excessive starch intake
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease, in such cases specifically called a water brash, and is characterized by a sour fluid or almost tasteless saliva in the mouth
• Pancreatitis
• Liver disease
• Serotonin syndrome
• Mouth ulcers
• Oral infections

Medications that can cause overproduction of saliva include:

• clozapine
• pilocarpine
• ketamine
• potassium chlorate
• risperidone

Toxins that can cause hypersalivation include:

• mercury
• copper
• organophosphates
• arsenic

Decreased clearance

Causes of decreased clearance of saliva include:

• Infections such as tonsillitis, retropharyngeal and peritonsillar abscesses, epiglottitis and mumps.
• Problems with the jaw, e.g. fracture or dislocation
• Radiation therapy
• Neurologic disorders such as myasthenia gravis, Parkinson's disease, rabies, bulbar paralysis, bilateral facial nerve palsy and hypoglossal nerve palsy.

Treatment

Hypersalivation is optimally treated by treating or avoiding the underlying cause. Mouthwash and tooth brushing may have significantly drying effects.