Dealing with Excess Saliva During Pregnancy

Excessive saliva is fairly common during pregnancy. I had it during mine, and so did several other mothers I know. This condition of excess saliva is called ptyalism. It is unknown what causes it however many doctors believe that it is a result from nausea/ vomiting or heartburn. Many doctors feel that because during the first trimester of pregnancy many women experience feelings of nausea they don't end up swallowing all the saliva they make normally, or the taste of the saliva makes them more nauseous so then they seem to have extra. Regardless of what causes this condition many pregnant women feel alone and embarrassed by this. However this is nothing that is your fault or to be embarrassed about and very few women actually have enough excess saliva that they are drooling at the mouth all the time. I know I felt awful when it was happening to me till I realized one day that I didn't look like I had a hose in my mouth like I thought I did and found some tips that helped me feel confident that I wasn't drooling everywhere.

What to do about excess saliva during your pregnancy:
There really isn't a "cure" for ptyalism or excess saliva during pregnancy but many doctors recommend using these tips to help deal with it.
- First you need to let your doctor know there is a chance they can help you try and find a cause and determine how to handle it.
- if you are smoking this could be part of the reason for the excess saliva so try quitting, your doctor can help you if you need it.
- A tip I found useful along with some other women is brushing your teeth several times a day.
- I have heard mouthwash also can help with the problem.
- Other pregnant women have told me that eating more often and smaller meals that have fewer starches such as fish (be very careful with this if you are pregnant) and poultry like chicken or duck will help.
-Some other great low/ non-starchy foods are eggs, cheese like cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella, and lots of vegetables such as lettuce, peppers, celery, and my favorite radishes.
- Another tip is to suck on hard candy such as peppermints or lemon slices
- Try chewing some gum this should help
- However your best bet is just to swallow or spit out the excess saliva. If you choose to spit it out then make sure you are drinking plenty of water so you don't become dehydrated.

Remember most women only have this problem for the first trimester of pregnancy and usually goes away by 12-14 weeks. Just be patient and keep your doctor informed. Don't worry to much, things will get better just try and enjoy your pregnancy.

Sources:
http://www.womenshealthcaretopics.com/preg_saliva.htm
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080808141143AAcFwd3