Saliva is one of the most neglected factors in your oral health. The normal secretion of saliva is vital to a healthy mouth, good digestion, and more. When we think oral health, many of us think immediately of the gums, teeth, and the tongue. But the hero of a healthy mouth is SALIVA. Let’s discuss the function and benefits of saliva.

What is saliva?

Saliva is an extracellular clear liquid produced by several salivary glands in your mouth. The salivary glands sit inside each cheek, at the bottom of your mouth, and near your front teeth. Saliva plays an important part in having a healthy body. It is mostly made of water, but also contains important substances that your body needs to digest food and other nutrients to keep your teeth strong. Healthy saliva is slightly acidic, ranging from about 6-7ph. This allows saliva to do its job of breaking down food and a buffer between your teeth and plaque build-up.

Benefits of saliva

• Saliva keeps your mouth moist.
• Helps you chew, taste, and swallow.
• Fights germs in your mouth and it prevents bad breath.
• Has proteins and minerals that protect your tooth enamel and prevent your teeth from decay and gum disease.

Function of saliva

Beginning the digestive system- Chewing and swallowing begins the digestion stage, but would not work without saliva. As you chew, the saliva in your mouth binds food particles together, that easily enters the oesophagus. The more you chew, the more saliva you make. The enzyme amylase breaks down food particles into simpler compounds, which is the first step to digesting food. The compounds in saliva also protect your throat and oesophagus from what would otherwise irritate or damage the sensitive tissue.

Tasting- Molecules in food that taste of distinct flavours must first be solubilized, or made more dissolvable before you can actually taste your food. Your saliva interacts with taste buds to unmask the tastes offered by different foods.

Clearing food debris- Saliva cleans away food debris in your mouth. When you have a good saliva flow, food particles are less likely to collect and ferment on your teeth or other areas of your oral cavity.