J Korean Dysphagia Soc.  2022 Jul;12(2):85-95. 10.34160/jkds.2022.12.2.002.

Understanding the Drooling Evaluation

• Min Kc
• Seo Sm
• Woo Hs

• KMID: 2532234
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.34160/jkds.2022.12.2.002

Abstract

The definition of drooling is very broad, Drooling is characterized by saliva flowing out of the mouth or moving behind the pharynx unintentionally due to various reasons. Drooling is affected by increased salivation, and oral motor and swallowing functions. The amount depends on the situation, place, mood, and concentration. There is a need for comprehensive evaluation and treatment since drooling could be stimulated by various causes, such as sensory, motor, cognitive, and behavioral. Drooling evaluation is divided into objective and subjective evaluations. The objective evaluation mainly measures the amount of saliva secretion using a towel, a container, and a dental swab, and assessing the frequency of drooling at a fixed time. Subjective evaluation usually evaluates the subject’s severity and frequency of drooling during certain periods. A comprehensive evaluation that identifies the effects of salivation on the subject’s daily life, social interaction, psychology, and self-esteem, and evaluates the degree of drooling according to various postures, situations, and conditions, also needs to be considered. Nevertheless, there are several difficulties in developing standardized drooling assessment tools. The evaluation contents and results may vary depending on the treatment approach, such as botulinum toxin treatment or oral exercise therapy. The current article will help understand and select drooling assessment tools for identifying and measuring outcomes in clinical settings and studies.

Keyword

Drooling, Sialorrhea; Deglutition; Drooling assessment; Drooling evaluation