If your baby has started drooling around the 2-month age mark, worry not!
After introducing solids into your baby's diet, saliva assists to soften and moisten the food. It further assists in:
- Keeping the mouth of your infant moist.
- Making swallowing easier.
- Protecting your child’s teeth against tooth decay.
Ptyalin, a digestive enzyme that converts starch to sugar, is also present in saliva which helps digestion by neutralizing stomach acid using saliva.
I think my baby is drooling excessively
Drool production is linked to the development of a baby's digestive system; therefore, if your infant drools excessively, this could be an indication that your baby's digestive system is in full development.
Saliva is essential for digestion, which is why the aroma of a wonderful meal simmering on the stove makes your mouth wet. Despite its wetness, drool contains disease-fighting proteins and antibodies that protect your baby's digestive system and may also protect her toys and other items.
Reasons for your baby drooling
- Teething
The teething process begins even before a baby has a tooth. This is the reason babies as young as three months old start drooling. Tooth extraction causes drooling and increased saliva production, which is common during the teething phase of a baby's development.
- Maintaining focus
Young children's minds are stimulated when they focus on a single task. Saliva production increases six-fold in response to stimulation. Babies' ability to swallow extra saliva is poor throughout the early stages of development. Drooling occurs when baby's attention is diverted from the position of their mouths and the movements of their tongues when they are focused on a task.
- The open mouth posture
Drooling may occur if a baby has a tendency to keep his mouth open for extended periods of time. Your child may drool if they keep their mouth open for an extended period of time because of a clogged nose or because of habit.
Is the drool causing rashes on your baby?
Drool can irritate the skin around the mouth, resulting in a rash or chapped lips.
If your infant drools, gently wipe the drool off their face and prevent it from not sitting there for too long. Applying ointment to the affected area at night may also be an option.
Your baby will eventually start drooling, and there is nothing you can do to stop this. However, on the more positive side: isn't this part of the baby's development, after all?
Conclusion
Bear in mind that it's natural for babies and toddlers to drool from time to time, but excessive drooling can indicate a problem. This could mean that your child has choked and is struggling to breathe. Drooling can also be caused by sore throats in babies.
Your pediatrician should be contacted if you have any concerns regarding your baby's drooling. However, if you are under the impression that your child has an allergic response, or if there's any other reason to be concerned, dial 911 right at once.