2 Why Do I Drool

WHY DO I DROOL? WHY DO I?

Is your mouth Watering? Does your mouth water when you smell something tasty? That water is called saliva. Think about your favorite food. Is your mouth starting to water? Do you ever wake up with a wet pillow? Sometimes saliva leaks out when you are asleep. That is one way we drool. To drool is to leak saliva from our mouths. Sometimes people can drool when they are awake, too.

Crunch and Slurp You use your teeth to chew your food into smaller pieces. This makes it easier for your body to break down the food when it reaches your stomach. Your mouth makes a lot of saliva when you chew your food. Saliva begins to break down the food even before you swallow it. Saliva is made up mostly of water. It also contains other things that help break down food

Busy mouths There are different body parts inside and around your mouth. They all help you digest, or break down, your food Teeth cut and crush your food. Body parts called glands make saliva. Food travels down to your stomach through a long tube connected to your throat. The little bumps on your tongue are called taste buds. They tell your brain what food tastes like. Your tongue moves the food around inside your mouth. Saliva also helps to keep your mouth wet. Imagine trying to talk or swallow with a very dry mouth. It would be almost impossible!

Chew and Swallow STEP 1: As soon as you take a bite of food, your saliva goes to work! STEP 2: Your glands send saliva into your mouth as you chomp down on food. The more you chomp, the more saliva is sent. STEP 3: Your tongue moves the food around your mouth. When it is chewed into a ball, the tongue pushes it to the back of your throat. STEP 4: Finally, you swallow. Saliva helps the ball of food slip down your throat easily.

Drool Drool So why does your mouth water when you smell something delicious? When you smell food, your brain thinks you are about to eat. It sends instructions to the glands to prepare your mouth for the meal by filling it with saliva! You swallow your saliva when you are awake. You don't swallow saliva when you are asleep. Saliva builds up in your mouth. It can sometimes leak out as drool.