Saliva, also known as spit, plays an essential role to ensure the ongoing maintenance of oral health as well as other vital bodily functions. However, in the unfortunate circumstance that our salivary glands reduce their production of saliva, our oral health can significantly deteriorate under such circumstances. Keep reading to learn the many functions of our vital salivary glands, how saliva impacts our oral health, and how to boost saliva production to overall improve your oral health.
What’s the Function of Our Salivary Glands?
Your salivary glands produce and empty saliva into your mouth through small openings called ducts. This saliva lubricates your mouth, throat, and aids in the swallowing and digestion of food, all of which helps defend your teeth from cavity-causing bacteria. Our three major salivary glands include:
- Parotid Glands: Being the largest salivary glands in our body, the parotid glands are located just in front of our ears and produces saliva which enters the mouth through small ducts near our upper molars.
- Sublingual Glands: Located under your tongue on either side of the floor in your mouth, these glands pump saliva directly into the mouth.
- Submandibular Glands: Consisting of the Superficial Lobe and the Deep Lobe, these glands are right beneath your jaw and pumps saliva in through under the tongue.
Additionally, humans also have between 750-and-1000 minor salivary glands in our mouths, however they are too small to be seen with the naked eye and they only produce a small amount of saliva.
How Saliva Impacts Oral Health
Saliva is a clear liquid composed of 98% water and 2% composed of important substances including mucus, minerals, proteins, antibacterial compounds, enzymes, electrolytes, and more. While an average person produces roughly 2-to-4 pints of saliva every day, consistent saliva production is vital to maintain optimal oral health. Saliva is important for a variety of reasons, including:
- Assists with the chewing, tasting, and swallowing process.
- Fights germs and bacteria in your mouth.
- Prevents bad breath.
- Includes proteins and minerals which protects tooth enamel as well as helps prevent the onset of tooth decay and gum disease.
- Overall keeps your mouth moist and comfortable.
If you’re experiencing a dry mouth, medically termed as Xerostomia, caused by the reduction of saliva, a host of oral health problems can arise, including infections, gum disease, tooth decay, digestive issues, and more. If you suffer from dry mouth, to improve saliva flow it’s important to stay hydrated, chew sugarless gum, eat a nutritious diet, maintain oral hygiene, and cease to drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes.
Maintain Optimal Oral Health
The best way to address xerostomia is generally to take care of your teeth. It’s important to gently floss and brush your teeth twice a day as well as regularly visit our dentist for cleanings and oral exams. If your dry mouth issue hasn’t improved over time, dental issues such as cavities, decay, infections, and more are prone to arise.
Flossing and brushing twice a day is essential to preventing cavities and eliminating the opportunity for dry mouth to arise. Flossing is the only way to remove plaque from between your teeth, flossing regularly also helps keep tartar out of hard-to-reach places. GumChucks’ design ensures a flossing experience that’s faster, easier, and more effective than competing flossers or traditional floss. Our two handles with disposable floss allow you to comfortably reach all your teeth, even those in the back while wrapping the floss around each tooth. This creates the vital “C-Shape” necessary to get below the gum line and effectively clean each tooth.
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