Sialorrhea-A management challenge in dental practice

Sialorrhea also known as ptyalism or drooling, can be defined as salivary incontinence or the involuntary spillage of saliva over the lower lip. Drooling could be caused by excessive production of saliva, inability to retain saliva within the mouth, or problems with swallowing. Drooling can lead to functional and clinical consequences for patients, families, and caregivers. Physical and psychosocial complication includes maceration of skin around the mouth, secondary bacterial infection, bad odour, dehydration and social stigmatisation. This article provides a review of the physiology, pathogenesis, clinical oral manifestations, and therapeutic options for sialorrhea. Oral health care professionals should recognize the importance of sialorrhea as a possible indicator or complication of a variety of disease states of the oropharynx and esophagus as well as its impact on the patient's physical and social quality of life.