Oral Defense: It washes away food debris and contains antibodies, antimicrobial peptides, and lysozymes that protect our teeth and gums from bacterial overgrowth.
Lubrication: It facilitates smooth swallowing, speech, and taste perception by keeping the mucous membranes comfortably moist.
During the daytime, we constantly and unconsciously swallow this fluid. However, during the night, our swallowing reflex diminishes significantly. If your body continues to produce normal or elevated amounts of saliva while your throat muscles are relaxed, gravity takes over, resulting in drooling.
1. Chronic Nasal Congestion and Mouth Breathing
One of the most common reasons people drool during sleep has nothing to do with their salivary glands, but rather with their nasal passages.
How Nasal Obstruction Forces Mouth Breathing
Under ideal conditions, human beings are designed to breathe through their noses. The nose filters, warms, and humidifies the air we inhale. However, when the nasal passages become blocked, the brain automatically switches to mouth breathing to ensure a continuous oxygen supply.
