4 month old baby drooling

It is normal for children under one year old to drool, because babies secrete a lot of saliva and cannot control it well, so the saliva will gradually increase around four months, and even more at 6 to 7 months. If the drooling continues after one year old and the amount of saliva is particularly large each time, you should be careful as there may be some disease factors that need to be checked.

When does your baby drool more?

Every baby drools, but the drooling situation varies at different stages of the baby's life.

Newborn baby: less saliva

Saliva is the common name for saliva. Babies have relatively less saliva after birth. The function of their salivary glands is not perfect at this time, and breast milk and formula milk do not stimulate their glands strongly.

4 months: Saliva begins to increase

1. The stimulation of adding complementary food. After four months, saliva will often flow from the corners of the child's mouth. For some babies, breast milk or formula milk can no longer meet the body's needs, and rice cereal, rice paste, etc. begin to become children's supplementary foods, which have relatively greater stimulation to the salivary glands. Children's mouths are small and cannot accommodate large amounts of saliva. In addition, their swallowing ability is poor, so saliva flows out naturally.

2. The stimulation of bad habits. At the same time, children may develop habits such as sucking their fingers and pacifiers, which also affect the salivary glands.

6-7 months: Increased drooling

At six or seven months, the teeth begin to bulge out and the amount of saliva of the child will increase. When teeth grow, the baby's gums will swell and the surrounding nerves will be stimulated, thus inducing the secretion of salivary glands.

Reasons why babies drool

Drooling is a common symptom in babies. In addition to some well-known factors, there are some other reasons. Parents should have a comprehensive understanding of them!

1. Oral problems

(1) Imperfect oral function. Imperfect body functions are the prominent feature of babies, and the leakage of saliva in children is attributed to imperfect oral functions. At this time, the child's mouth is small and shallow, causing saliva to flow out easily. The nervous system that regulates swallowing is not perfect, and it is difficult for children to reduce the amount of saliva by swallowing.

(2) Food residues. Some children wake up with a wet, yellowish area on their pillow that tastes salty. This is most likely caused by oral problems. Most babies do not have the habit of brushing their teeth, so there is a lot of food residue in their mouths. Many children will suffer from tooth decay, gingivitis, etc., and the amount of saliva in their mouths will also increase.

(3) Bacterial growth. The temperature of the mouth can provide a breeding ground for bacteria. Once the mouth is invaded by bacteria, it will cause pain, which will stimulate the salivary glands.

2. External stimulation

(1) Solid food. When your child starts eating solid food, your baby's mouth is no longer as dry as before, and the amount of saliva will increase. The salivary glands will secrete a large amount of saliva under the stimulation of complementary food.

(2) Bad habits. If babies often put their fingers or small objects in their mouths, it will also stimulate the salivary glands.

drug. Medications are also a major cause of increased drooling. For example, some babies will drool unconsciously when taking epilepsy medications.

3. Dental problems

(1) Long teeth. When a child starts teething, their mouth becomes flooded with saliva. At this time, the deciduous teeth break through the restrictions of the gums and grow outward, and the gums will feel painful. Since the nerves in the oral cavity are a whole, the nerves in the salivary glands will also react, causing their secretion.

(2) Buck teeth. Some babies have difficulty closing their lips when sleeping, and drool often flows out. Often these children have front teeth that protrude so far forward that they are difficult to be covered by the lips.