EverydaySLP
The real cause of Parkinson’s drooling
It is not too much saliva. And that one fact changes everything about how you fix it.
Almost everyone believes drooling means the body is making too much saliva. It is not. In Parkinson’s, the amount of saliva is usually normal. What changes is how often it gets cleared, because the automatic swallow slows down. Saliva pools, and it spills. Drool is simply saliva that did not get swallowed.
Think of a sink. The faucet is saliva production. The drain is swallowing. When the drain slows, the sink overflows.
The answer is not to turn down the faucet. It is to fix the drain.
You do not have to take my word for it
Parkinson's Foundation
Drooling comes from “reduced automatic swallowing, not excess saliva production.”
Read it on parkinson.orgMichael J. Fox Foundation
“People with Parkinson’s swallow less often, so saliva builds up.”
Read it on michaeljfox.orgAmerican Parkinson Disease Association
Saliva collects in the mouth because swallowing happens less often.
Read it on apdaparkinson.org
Three of the largest Parkinson’s organizations. One conclusion. The amount of saliva is not the problem.
Prove it to yourself, right now
Swallow. Then again. Keep going until you have swallowed ten times in a row. Now notice your mouth. It is dry.
You just cleared the saliva faster than your body could refill it. If you truly made too much, you could never empty your mouth that fast.
The amount was never the problem. The swallowing is.
Who this is for
If the drooling has started keeping you home, or quiet when you used to speak up, this guide is for you. You do not have to wait for it to get worse to do something about it.
Inside the free guide
- The real cause, explained in plain language
- Why Botox, medications, candy, and reminders fall short
- One small change you can make today, using something you already do
— Robert
M.S., CCC-SLP · EverydaySLP