Saliva Management Tips

For some people with Parkinson’s muscular slowing and weakness can result in difficulties with swallowing. Automatic swallowing of saliva happens less often, so saliva can pool and overflow from the corners of the mouth. This can be embarrassing, but don’t despair, there are things that can help. The following advice has been compiled by Speech and Language Therapists working with people with Parkinson’s.

Food and Drink

Some foods and drinks can help reduce saliva production. You might try:

• Ginger tea – this has a drying effect on the mouth
• Pineapple juice, or sucking fresh pineapple which has a cleansing effect on the mouth.
• Chewing gum or sucking boiled sweets which can help stimulate regular swallowing of saliva.

Posture

• Saliva problems can be even more prominent in people who have a bent-forwards posture. In some cases, improving your posture can improve the problem, so try to keep your head as upright as possible at all times. Follow the exercises on posture to improve your posture.

Routine

• Take regular small sips of water throughout the day; this will help “wash down” excess saliva.
• Keep some tissues or a towel handy. Dabbing at saliva rather than wiping it away will cause less irritation to the skin. Barrier cream can help prevent the corners of the mouth from being sore.
• Try to remember to keep your mouth closed when you are reading, listening or watching television. It may be beneficial to have a “cue card” somewhere you sit regularly to remind you. Exercise the muscles of your face to make this easier (there are some facial exercises 8 minutes in to the video on Exercises for Strength HERE.).
• Make a point of swallowing your saliva at regular intervals, for example, every 2 minutes. You could set an alarm on your phone, or consider downloading an app which can be used to help (E.g. Swallow Prompt App which can be purchased for Android and Apple devices).
• Always ensure the mouth is as clean as possible – brush your teeth regularly, this will reduce the quantity of bacteria in the mouth.

If you have ongoing saliva management issues, please speak to your Parkinson’s team or GP who can discuss medications or procedures which may help.