We, humans, take things at the face value. Take, for instance, drool. The very sight of the saliva dropping from mouth puts us off. However, saliva has more to it than meets the eye. Rather, it’s existentially useful. Sounds exaggeration? Not when you consider these 8 mind-blowing facts.
The quantity:
Saliva production is different in different people. Specifications may vary, but a healthy adult produces 0.7 liters of saliva daily, which amounts to 255.5 liters a year. That’s sufficient to fill your bathtub, twice. The saliva floodgates are open when you eat. But when anxiety and nervousness strikes, the spit production decreases drastically and your mouth dries up. The bulk of saliva production happens in the late afternoon and drops during the night.
Response to bacteria:
The saliva is rich in White Blood Cells (WBCs). These cells are tasked with preventing the onslaught of bacteria and other pathogens. Per the Blood journal, the WBCs coming from the saliva provide better response to bacterial invasion than WBCs coming from other body parts. The study gives an altogether new meaning to the age-old phrase - lick your wounds.
Cavity prevention:
Had your mouth been without saliva, you would have a hard time maintaining your oral and dental health. The spit has calcium, fluoride, and phosphate, three minerals that keep your teeth shining and strong. That’s not all, as saliva wards off bacteria, eliminates plaque acids and gets rid of food residue in the mouth. It all adds up to cavity prevention and oral health.
Taste sensitivity:
If you can enjoy your favorite delicacy, thank saliva. The taste receptors are located in different parts of the tongue and saliva transports the deliciousness to these sites and helps identify and savor the taste. Plus, the body fluid lubricates the taste receptors and protects them from bacteria. If you have spit deficiency, artificial saliva sprays help restore your taste function.
Disease indication:
Do you constantly experience a dry mouth? If yes, then visiting your doctor makes sense. The saliva deficiency may indicate an underlying heart issue or other condition. The doctor will take a sample of your spit, derive a particular protein from it, and put it under the microscope.
The salivary stone:
Have you heard of salivary stone? It’s somewhat similar to kidney stones. These stones are crystallized forms of spit that can obstruct the saliva’s flow from salivary glands into the mouth. The salivary stones can dislodge without any surgical intervention. But surgery is often needed.
Revs up sex drive:
Even the thought of your partner’s spit sloshing around in your mouth is revolting. But it can rev up your sex drive. When you kiss, you pass on testosterone besides water, fats and other organic matter to your partner’s mouth. Testosterone is a hormone associated with libido.
Lie detector:
Strange but true, the body fluid was widely used as a lie detector across several ancient cultures. The premise of the practice was the guilt-related nervousness that led to lowered spit production, and hence, the dry mouth. The accused was given wheat grains to chew. If he/she struggled to spit them out, it was considered as his/her admission of guilt.
The quantity:
Saliva production is different in different people. Specifications may vary, but a healthy adult produces 0.7 liters of saliva daily, which amounts to 255.5 liters a year. That’s sufficient to fill your bathtub, twice. The saliva floodgates are open when you eat. But when anxiety and nervousness strikes, the spit production decreases drastically and your mouth dries up. The bulk of saliva production happens in the late afternoon and drops during the night.
Response to bacteria:
The saliva is rich in White Blood Cells (WBCs). These cells are tasked with preventing the onslaught of bacteria and other pathogens. Per the Blood journal, the WBCs coming from the saliva provide better response to bacterial invasion than WBCs coming from other body parts. The study gives an altogether new meaning to the age-old phrase - lick your wounds.
Cavity prevention:
Had your mouth been without saliva, you would have a hard time maintaining your oral and dental health. The spit has calcium, fluoride, and phosphate, three minerals that keep your teeth shining and strong. That’s not all, as saliva wards off bacteria, eliminates plaque acids and gets rid of food residue in the mouth. It all adds up to cavity prevention and oral health.
Taste sensitivity:
If you can enjoy your favorite delicacy, thank saliva. The taste receptors are located in different parts of the tongue and saliva transports the deliciousness to these sites and helps identify and savor the taste. Plus, the body fluid lubricates the taste receptors and protects them from bacteria. If you have spit deficiency, artificial saliva sprays help restore your taste function.
Disease indication:
Do you constantly experience a dry mouth? If yes, then visiting your doctor makes sense. The saliva deficiency may indicate an underlying heart issue or other condition. The doctor will take a sample of your spit, derive a particular protein from it, and put it under the microscope.
The salivary stone:
Have you heard of salivary stone? It’s somewhat similar to kidney stones. These stones are crystallized forms of spit that can obstruct the saliva’s flow from salivary glands into the mouth. The salivary stones can dislodge without any surgical intervention. But surgery is often needed.
Revs up sex drive:
Even the thought of your partner’s spit sloshing around in your mouth is revolting. But it can rev up your sex drive. When you kiss, you pass on testosterone besides water, fats and other organic matter to your partner’s mouth. Testosterone is a hormone associated with libido.
Lie detector:
Strange but true, the body fluid was widely used as a lie detector across several ancient cultures. The premise of the practice was the guilt-related nervousness that led to lowered spit production, and hence, the dry mouth. The accused was given wheat grains to chew. If he/she struggled to spit them out, it was considered as his/her admission of guilt.