Saliva is produced in the mouth or the buccal cavity and plays a very important role in the digestion process. Saliva is formed and secreted by the salivary glands. There are as many as six salivary glands in the mouth, and out of which one is placed below the tongue called as the sublingual gland. The submandibular glands are located below the lower jaw and the parotid glands are situated below and in front of the ears.

Saliva is made up of electrolytes, mucus, antibacterial compounds, enzymes and the main component is water, which forms 98 percent of the saliva. The enzymes amylase and ptyalin present in saliva break the starch in the food, which is a crucial process of digestion way before the food reaches the stomach for digestion. The mucus softens the food and also neutralizes the acids in the mouth, as it has alkaline effect.

The main purpose of the saliva is lubrication of the food, which makes it easy for us to swallow the food. The antibacterial property of the saliva prevents the unwanted bacteria present in the mouth to enter. Another use of the lubricant property is to keep the mouth and the mucus membrane moist to avoid any discomfort or cracking. Saliva dissolves the dry food that allows people to get the taste of what they are eating.

Saliva maintains oral hygiene and clears the unwanted bacteria and microbes from the mouth. Since it has antibacterial properties and also shows the presence of hydrogen peroxide, it is a bit more effective than water when it comes to cleaning wounds. This is the reason why animals are often seen licking their wounds. This function however is not established in humans because the mouth is not sterile inherently.

In some animals like mice, their saliva contains a product called as the nerve growth factor or NGF. This product is capable of healing wounds quickly. It has been proved through scientific studies that a wound when dosed with NGF heals twice as fast as a wound that is not dosed with NGF. This however, is not found to be present in human saliva.

This is the case in most of the parts of the human body that they can get affected by some disease or problem. The list of problems that affect the salivary glands is long and causes much pain and problem. These problems associated with the salivary glands should not be taken lightly, as they can grow into tumors and also get blocked by stones. Other possible problems can be abscessed glands as a result of side effects of other diseases. There are many conditions that can result from excessive use of certain medications also. None of these problems are pleasant and hence need immediate medical attention.

Most of the salivary problems are treatable these days either medically or surgically. With saliva forming the main part of the digestion process and solving many more purposes, you can now possibly understand the importance of this body liquid.

Jonathan Pitts

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