Healthy Teeth

The Role of Saliva in Oral Health: More Than Just Moisture

When we think about the steps we can take to protect our oral health, we often think about things like brushing our teeth and visiting the dentist. The body has its own way of safeguarding your oral health, and there are things you can do to support this important bodily function.

Saliva is an often forgotten part of your oral care. Your body takes care of its production and release in the background, but there are things you can do to support – and hinder – this process. Paying close attention to your saliva can also help you to spot health conditions.

In this guide, we’re taking an in-depth look into the role of saliva in protecting your oral health and offering some advice on how you can support this process.

What is saliva?

Saliva is a liquid produced by the salivary glands that has many roles:

  • Softening and adding moisture to food to aid in digestion

  • Kick starting the digestion process by introducing enzymes

  • Cleaning the mouth cavity following a meal

  • Protecting you against infection

  • Spreading flavour molecules to increase the intensity of taste

  • Neutralising acids in the mouth to protect against acid erosion

Your body knows to release saliva when you start eating a meal. Even just thinking about food can trigger your mouth to start producing saliva, particularly if you are very hungry. This is the meaning of “mouth-watering food”.

Saliva contains lots of components, including water, enzymes, electrolytes and anti-bacterial substances. It’s an important part of your digestive system, but also aids in protecting your teeth against decay.

Girl eating acidic orange

The Role of Dental Check-ups in Diagnosing Gum DiseaseHow does saliva support oral health?

Saliva is essential for protecting your teeth from acid erosion. Your teeth come into contact with acidic foods every day, and without saliva, your teeth would be at risk for prolonged contact with these substances.

Saliva also helps to clear food debris from your mouth. It helps to rinse away food build up and prevent it from collecting in your mouth and between your teeth.

This is why conditions like dry mouth can have a huge impact on your oral health. Medications, health conditions and certain lifestyle choices can make it more difficult for your body to produce enough saliva.

Issues with your saliva can also be indicative of other health problems, so it’s important to speak to your GP or dentist if you are worried about a change in your saliva.

Let’s look at some of the ways you can support your body to ensure you can produce enough saliva to protect your teeth.

Supporting your body to produce enough saliva

First and foremost, remember that saliva is primarily made up of water. If you are dehydrated, you’ll struggle to create enough, so it’s vital that you drink enough water every day.

A dry mouth is a surefire sign that you’re already dehydrated. Saliva should be clear, so if it’s bubbly and opaque, it’s time to reach for a glass of water.

You can also deplete your saliva stores by snacking throughout the day. Your body produces saliva when you are going to eat, so if you never stop eating, your body will struggle to keep up.

Rather than grazing throughout the day, try to stick to 3 meals per day and just a few snacks. This will help to optimise the release of saliva and ensure you have enough for meal times when you need it the most.

If you struggle to produce enough saliva, chewing gum after a meal can help to clear your mouth and trigger saliva production. Pair this with a glass of water to optimise the benefits.

And finally, there are also habits you can quit to help optimise saliva production. Smoking is one of the worst things you can do for your oral health. It not only exposes your mouth to a cocktail of toxic compounds, but it also inhibits the production of saliva, leading to dry mouth.

Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your oral health. Dry mouth can lead to widespread oral health conditions such as gum disease while also increasing your risk of tooth decay.

Health conditions you can spot from your saliva

Health conditions you can spot from your saliva

Changes in your saliva should never be ignored, as these could indicate a more serious health problem.

Diabetes is often first spotted due to a change in saliva. If your saliva starts to taste more sweet, this is often a sign of elevated blood glucose levels, which could indicate an issue.

Acid reflux can also be evident from a change in saliva. If you find that you are producing a lot more saliva than usual, this could be a sign of something known as water brash, which is commonly seen in patients with excess stomach acid.

Abnormally thick saliva can also be an early indicator of the onset of cystic fibrosis. If you’ve noticed your saliva is thicker and you are not dehydrated, it could be worth visiting your GP.

Final notes on saliva for oral health

This wonderful liquid is incredibly important for protecting your teeth, aiding digestion and providing the first line of defence against infection. By supporting your body to be able to produce saliva normally, you can prevent secondary issues with your oral health such as gum disease and tooth decay.

If you’re worried about saliva production and its impact on your oral health, book a routine checkup with your dentist to learn more.

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