When we were kids saliva was appreciated for its awesome use in grossing out all the other kids! Spit came in handy for spitting contests, drooling or storing up for a later undefined use! 😉 By now, most of us have outgrown using spit for entertainment and although it’s not something that is brought up in everyday conversation, saliva plays a REALLY important part in the overall health of your mouth. The smell of yummy food can make your salivary glands go into overdrive. Which is a GOOD thing! Saliva mixes in with our food to help even the driest snack slide down with ease. It also helps to wash away food from our teeth which makes it harder for bad breath to stick around. Check out a few more AMAZING things about saliva:
- You could potentially produce enough saliva to fill two bathtubs a year. Each person produces their own unique amount. On average, most people produce around 0.7 litres of saliva per day. Can you believe that!?
- Your saliva helps wounds in the mouth heal faster than wounds anywhere else in the body. It helps to create a humid environment in your mouth which helps out the cells that you need to heal wounds. Saliva also contains proteins your body uses to heal too!
- When you are nervous, saliva production is reduced. It’s extremely common for your mouth to become dry if you’re feeling anxious. Saliva flow is controlled by the nervous system so it can be reduced as part of the “fight or flight” response.
- Your saliva is rich with a substance called opiorphin. This is a natural pain killer six times more powerful than morphine. It works by protecting chemicals called enkephalins. They basically keep pain signals from reaching the brain.
- It makes your food taste better! If you’ve ever enjoyed a yummy piece of cake, then you can thank your saliva for the yummy flavor. Saliva acts like a solvent for your taste buds. It’s also the first step in the digestion process. After you take that first bite, it starts breaking down the food and that releases the flavors!
Dry Mouth
Have you ever experienced dry mouth from medications or an illness? This can cause your tongue and gums to feel very uncomfortable. Dry mouth can also lead to tooth decay and gum disease. So what can you do if you have dry mouth? You can drink water, chew sugar less gum or suck on sugar free hard candy to help stimulate your salivary glands. If you can find a product containing Xlyitol, even better. Xlyitol helps prevent bacteria from making cavities! There are also dental products to help combat unpleasant dry mouth. If you’re having problems with dry mouth or trouble swallowing then give Dr. Wells a call and let’s talk about some options that can help!
Even though you aren’t having spitting contests or making spitballs, saliva is important to your overall health.
***Disclaimer: The information provided is not to be used as an excuse to start making spitballs!
