Ecessive salivating (read drooling) is very common in babies, especially in poor African countries.

In fact, the production of excessive saliva can be healthy. Saliva cleans the baby’s gums and washes away foods and bacteria that might leave the mouth dirty.

The enzymes in saliva also help to break down the carbohydrates in foods, operating as a head start in the digestive process.

In addition, drooling plays the role of natural intestinal lubricant because babies usually suffer from gastro oesophageal reflux (a condition in which the acidified liquid content of the stomach affects the oesophagus).

Therefore this saliva lubricates the lining of the esophagus and helps to neutralize the acidity. Saliva also contains a healthy substance that could epidural growth factor, which helps the intestinal lining mature. Later when your baby has developed all the teeth, drooling stops.

However babies with developmental delay show a limited swallowing mechanism, causing excess saliva in the mouth. See a pediatrician for a developmental assessment of the baby’s overall muscle coordination.