Too Much Salivating ~~~~~ Help!

[sassenach]

It's not what you think. Being its Thanksgiving. I hope every one enjoyed good company and a fine dinner and remembered others as well. but I find I have a problem, it started a few days ago.

Usually I have a pretty dry mouth, well its not as bad since we figured out diabetes was part of it and change in diet has helped that and the thirst problem alot.

but I rarely really notice salivation.

Ok. so a few days ago I had some of that Crystal Pure drink. Ive had it before and usually its not causing any problem and its pure stevia in it. K.....

So I go have a drink of the grape stuff and my salivation glands are going at high speed, everything is tart.... oh. the real kicker into this mode also was some zinger herbal tea, all kinds of fruits and berries in that. Its tart.... well drank some of that too the same evening.... and since then I have been salivating and tasting the tartness. Even when I eat bland stuff.

Its driving me bonkers and is excessive. What can I do to get it to stop the stimulation of the salivary glands? Nothing I have tried makes it fade. Anything sweet or like apple pie just kicks it in worse, cause that had granny smith apples and a bit of sugar in it.

[Annarchy]

http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/digestion/pregastric/salivary.html

Salivary Glands and Saliva

 

Saliva is produced in and secreted from salivary glands. The basic secretory units of salivary glands are clusters of cells called an acini. These cells secrete a fluid that contains water, electrolytes, mucus and enzymes, all of which flow out of the acinus into collecting ducts.

 

Within the ducts, the composition of the secretion is altered. Much of the sodium is actively reabsorbed, potassium is secreted, and large quantities of bicarbonate ion are secreted. Bicarbonate secretion is of tremendous importance to ruminants because it, along with phosphate, provides a critical buffer that neutralizes the massive quantities of acid produced in the forestomachs. Small collecting ducts within salivary glands lead into larger ducts, eventually forming a single large duct that empties into the oral cavity.

 

Most animals have three major pairs of salivary glands that differ in the type of secretion they produce:

 

parotid glands produce a serous, watery secretion

submaxillary (mandibular) glands produce a mixed serous and mucous secretion

sublingual glands secrete a saliva that is predominantly mucous in character

 

The basis for different glands secreting saliva of differing composition can be seen by examining salivary glands histologically. Two basic types of acinar epithelial cells exist:

 

serous cells, which secrete a watery fluid, essentially devoid of mucus

mucous cells, which produce a very mucus-rich secretion

 

Acini in the parotid glands are almost exclusively of the serous type, while those in the sublingual glands are predominantly mucus cells. In the submaxillary glands, it is common to observe acini composed of both serous and mucus epithelial cells.

 

In the histologic sections of canine salivary gland shown above, the cells stained pink are serous cells, while the white, foamy cells are mucus-secreting cells.

 

Secretion of saliva is under control of the autonomic nervous system, which controls both the volume and type of saliva secreted. This is actually fairly interesting: a dog fed dry dog food produces saliva that is predominantly serous, while dogs on a meat diet secrete saliva with much more mucus. Parasympathetic stimulation from the brain, as was well demonstated by Ivan Pavlov, results in greatly enhanced secretion, as well as increased blood flow to the salivary glands.

 

Potent stimuli for increased salivation include the presence of food or irritating substances in the mouth, and thoughts of or the smell of food. Knowing that salivation is controlled by the brain will also help explain why many psychic stimuli also induce excessive salivation - for example, why some dogs salivate all over the house when it's thundering

 

What then are the important functions of saliva? Saliva serves many roles, some of which are important to all species, and others to only a few:

 

Lubrication and binding: the mucus in saliva is extremely effective in binding masticated food into a slippery bolus that (usually) slides easily through the esophagus without inflicting damage to the mucosa. Saliva also coats the oral cavity and esophagus, and food basically never directly touches the epithelial cells of those tissues.

Solubilizes dry food: in order to be tasted, the molecules in food must be solubilized.

Oral hygiene: The oral cavity is almost constantly flushed with saliva, which floats away food debris and keeps the mouth relatively clean. Flow of saliva diminishes considerably during sleep, allow populations of bacteria to build up in the mouth -- the result is dragon breath in the morning. Saliva also contains lysozyme, an enzyme that lyses many bacteria and prevents overgrowth of oral microbial populations.

Initiates starch digestion: in most species, the serous acinar cells secrete an alpha-amylase which can begin to digest dietary starch into maltose. Amylase is not present, or present only in very small quantities, in the saliva of carnivores or cattle.

Provides alkaline buffering and fluid: this is of great importance in ruminants, which have non-secretory forestomachs.

Evaporative cooling: clearly of importance in dogs, which have very poorly developed sweat glands - look at a dog panting after a long run and this function will be clear.

 

Diseases of the salivary glands and ducts are not uncommon in animals and man, and excessive salivation is a symptom of almost any lesion in the oral cavity. The dripping of saliva seen in rabid animals is not actually a result of excessive salivation, but due to pharyngeal paralysis, which prevents saliva from being swallowed.

 

Excessive saliva:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/excessive-saliva/MY01012

 

Causes:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/excessive-saliva/MY01012/DSECTION=causes

 

More here:

http://www.freemd.com/excess-salivation/underlying-cause.htm

[sassenach]

Well.... hmmm...... I tried some benydryl and it did help. I am staying away from that drink powder and the berry based zinger tea for a while.

 

As to some of those disorders I have some of them and well...... I don't think its rabies. lol.

 

Interesting to read however, those links! Because it started just after those two types of drinks though, I am sure they were the catalyst, other than maybe one of these conditions listed that I already have may indicate it may become more of an issue ... at least the benydryl helped temporarily.

 

1 to 2 quarts of saliva normally is generated per DAY?????????? wow.

 

But its good to know the formal reasons it can occur and a good read for any of us that may have to monitor health issues with out much medical help in time of crisis.

 

 

It's just weird, isn't it?

 

Dont read the mayoclinic link unless you are NOT preparing dinner yet. LOL.

 

[Jeepers]

Hope you are doing better.

I usually have a dry mouth so I'm useless in your situation.

[Annarchy]

well...... I don't think its rabies. lol.

 

 

[Jeepers]

well...... I don't think its rabies. lol.

 

I don't know. Do you know everywhere Miss Macy has been? They are known to party when you are away. I'm just sayin'...

[sassenach]

Miss Macy is fine! She stays completely inside my place. LOL. ( Shes been playing fetch with me and her favorite smallest mousie. ) Miss Macy brings it to me, drops it at my feet and I toss it maybe 2 - 3 feet behind her and she gets it and runs into the living room with it, plays a bit of kitty soccer with it, then comes back with it to have me 'throw' it again for her. I change where I toss it but she always runs out with it and does that little routine. She also has had all her shots!

Sort of fetch in reverse I guess... She will do this repeatedly. It is one way to get some exercise.

She also likes the Snow Dogs movie.

 

I told my diabetic nurse about the salivating, told her about the mayoclinic link and what happened. She said that I need to see an Immunologist for my many rheumatalogical disorders probably. I really don't know what they could tell me regarding this, but its probably a good idea, but I wonder if there are any around here. I have enough to figure out anyhow. It seems the benydryl is the answer for now, on that situation.