What is it?
Saliva is a mix of organic components that make up this filmy watery substance that coats your mouth and oesophagus such as:
Amylase – breaks down the starch in food
Kallikrein – breaks down proteins in food
Lysozymes – breaks down bacteria
Amino Acids – breaks down fatty acids and oils
What does it do?
It protects and cleans teeth and gums and helps wash away any debris. It coats the food that you chew into a ball which in turn aids in the easy movement of this ball of food down into your stomach.
Usefully, saliva contains trace amounts of organic components for which tests can be performed to aid in the diagnosis of illnesses.
Salivary reflexes
On average, a human adult can produce 750ml of saliva per day. The majority is formed from three sets of glands:
Sublingual = Small glands are at the front edge of the inside of the lower jaw
Submandibular = middle sized of these three, are at the edge of the inside of the lower jaw under the premolars
Parotid = largest of all is on the rear edge of the jawline under the ear lobes
Unconditioned reflexes are those where saliva is secreted by means of inherent senses. These are such things that you are born with such as the act of suckling, chewing or stimuli from activation of the stomach – you may salivate when you are hungry for instance.
Conditioned reflexes are those where saliva is secreted due to a learned behaviour. These can be through seeing, smelling or even hearing food being prepared.
Osteopathy and saliva
Saliva over or under production can be a sign of many different disorders or simply the result of an over or under action against a stimulatory nerve. The first action for you is to see a GP to find out if there is an underlying condition that is effecting your saliva production. Osteopathic treatment my be able to aid in the symptomatic relief for many conditions – if you never try, you will never know!
Shelley James
M.Ost