Hypersalivation

The following could be causes for excess saliva:

Dentures that are new or don’t fit well

GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease)

Infection in your mouth or throat

Medications, such as clonazepam (Klonopin), clozapine (Clozaril, Fazaclo ODT), pilocarpine (Salagen) and carbidopa-levodopa (Parcopa, Sinemet)

Pregnancy

Stomatitis (an inflammation of mucous membranes in your mouth)

Rarer causes of increased saliva production include:

Arsenic poisoning

Bell’s palsy (a condition that causes facial muscle weakness or paralysis)

Esophageal atresia (a disorder present at birth in which the esophagus doesn’t develop properly)

Mercury poisoning

Rabies (a deadly virus spread to people from the saliva of infected animals)

Syphilis (a bacterial infection usually spread by sexual contact)

Tuberculosis (an infectious disease that affects your lungs)

Causes of a decreased ability to swallow or to retain saliva in your mouth:

Acute sinusitis

Allergies

Chronic sinusitis

Enlarged adenoids

Tumors that affect your tongue or lip movement

Conditions that affect your muscle coordination or the function of your oral cavity also may decrease your ability to swallow or to retain saliva in your mouth. These conditions include:

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (a neurological disease that causes muscle weakness)

Autism

Cerebral palsy (a disorder that affects your ability to coordinate body movements)

Dementia

Down syndrome

Fragile X syndrome (a form of inherited mental retardation)

Multiple sclerosis (a disease in which your body’s immune system attacks the sheath that covers your nerves)

Myasthenia gravis (a muscle weakness disorder)

Parkinson’s disease

Stroke