Pregnant Women, Disturbed by Excessive Saliva? Deal with these 4 ways

Everyone might know that nausea and vomiting are naturally experienced by pregnant women, but what about excess saliva? Although it may make pregnant women uncomfortable, this is actually also true. To overcome this, there are several easy ways that pregnant women can do.

Excessive saliva can be experienced by some pregnant women in the first trimester. This is related to nausea during pregnancy. Nausea makes pregnant women swallow less often, so saliva accumulates in the mouth.

The exact cause is unknown, but it is thought to be related to the following:

• Hormonal fluctuations: Increased levels of the hormone progesterone and estrogen in the body stimulate the glands that produce saliva
• Increased stomach acid: gastric acid reflux can occur from the stomach to the esophagus during pregnancy. This can irritate the salivary glands so that more saliva is produced. The body also automatically increases the production of saliva to "neutralize" stomach acid
• Hyperemesis gravidarum: is a condition in which pregnant women experience excessive nausea and vomiting accompanied by other symptoms. This condition requires treatment at the hospital.
• Irritations: irritants such as cigarette smoke, dental and oral infections, drugs, mercury poisons and pesticides can also lead to increased saliva production
• In addition, mothers who are pregnant tend to experience nausea, so the saliva produced is more difficult to swallow and can worsen the nausea.

Furthermore, to reduce nausea during pregnancy there are several tips that you can apply:

• Start by consuming liquid food, then increase to small portions of solid food that is rich in carbohydrates (eat a little).
• If vomiting is a problem in the morning, eat dry foods such as cereal, bread, or biscuits before getting out of bed in the morning, or try eating high-protein snacks such as cheese before going to bed (protein takes a long time to digest)
• Change your diet to smaller portions more often. Eat snacks every 2-3 hours better than 3 large meals. Eat slowly and chew food perfectly
• Eat foods that contain lots of fluids. Avoid large amounts of fluid consumption at one time. Try cold drinks, fruit juices such as apples or grapes
• Avoid spicy, fried or oily foods
• When disturbed by a pungent odor, eat cold food at room temperature and avoid annoying odors
• Take vitamins B1, B6, vitamin C, potassium, and folic acid
• Contact the doctor if vomiting continues so that food or drink cannot enter. This can cause dehydration (lack of fluids) and must be treated as soon as possible

Ways to Overcome Saliva Over Pregnancy

Complaints of excessive saliva during pregnancy, usually will decrease by itself at the end of the first trimester. To overcome this, pregnant women can try the following ways, namely:

Dispose of saliva

The first thing you can do to reduce excess saliva is to routinely throw it away with a tissue or glass. If not possible, pregnant women can swallow the saliva. However, do not do this if swallowing saliva actually makes pregnant women nauseous.

Maintain healthy teeth and mouth

Pregnant women, do not forget to maintain healthy teeth and mouth by routinely brushing teeth at least twice a day. This is useful to reduce the risk of inflammation of the gums, toothache, and mouth irritation that can trigger excessive saliva. Pregnant women can also brush their teeth whenever they feel uncomfortable due to excessive saliva. In addition, don't forget to use safe mouthwash. Choose a mouthwash that does not contain alcohol.

Eat gum

Chewing gum does not treat excess saliva, but it can help alleviate it. Choose gum that contains little sugar or has a mint flavor. In addition to chewing gum, pregnant women can also suck ice cubes to reduce saliva in the mouth.

Drug consumption

Excessive saliva during pregnancy can also be overcome by taking drugs. However, some types of drugs that can help reduce saliva production have side effects, including constipation, dry mouth, and blurred vision. For this reason, pregnant women are advised to consult a doctor first, to ensure safety.

So, pregnant women do not need to worry if you experience complaints of excessive saliva. Do the above methods to reduce saliva. But if it feels very disturbing, consult with a doctor so that proper and safe treatment can be given.