Human saliva contains. Where does saliva come from?

Human saliva is colorless and transparent biological fluid alkaline reaction, which is secreted by three large salivary glands: submandibular, sublingual and parotid, and many small glands located in the oral cavity. Its main components are water (98.5%), trace elements and alkali metal cations, as well as acid salts. Wetting oral cavity, it helps free articulation, protects tooth enamel from mechanical, thermal and cold influences. Under the influence of salivary enzymes, it starts the process of digesting carbohydrates.

The protective function of saliva is manifested in the following:

Protecting the oral mucosa from drying out.
Neutralization of alkalis and acids.
Due to the content in saliva protein substance lysozyme, which has a bacteriostatic effect, regenerates the epithelium of the oral mucosa.
Nuclease enzymes, also found in saliva, help protect the body from viral infections.
Saliva contains enzymes (antithrombins and antithrombinoplastins) that prevent blood clotting.
Many immunoglobulins contained in saliva protect the body from the possibility of penetration of pathogens.

The digestive function of saliva is to wet the bolus of food and prepare it for swallowing and digestion. All this is facilitated by mucin, which is part of saliva, which glues food into a lump.

Food is present in the oral cavity for an average of about 20 seconds, but despite this, digestion, which begins in the oral cavity, significantly affects the further breakdown of food. After all, when saliva dissolves nutrients, it forms taste sensations and significantly affects the awakening of appetite.

Chemical processing of food also occurs in the oral cavity. Under the influence of amylase (an enzyme in saliva), polysaccharides (glycogen, starch) are broken down into maltose, and the next salivary enzyme, maltase, breaks down maltose into glucose.

Excretory function. Saliva has the ability to secrete metabolic products from the body. For example, some may be excreted in saliva. medications, uric acid, urea or mercury and lead salts. All of them leave the human body at the moment of spitting saliva.

Trophic function. Saliva is a biological medium that has direct contact with tooth enamel. It is the main source of zinc, phosphorus, calcium and other microelements necessary for the preservation and development of teeth.

Saliva as an indicator showing health status

Behind Lately the importance of saliva has become even greater - now it is used for diagnosis various diseases not only the oral cavity, but also the entire body. All that is needed for this is to collect a few drops of saliva on a cotton swab. Next, a test is performed that can reveal the presence of oral diseases, alcohol levels, the hormonal state of the body, the presence or absence of HIV and many other indicators of human health.

This test does not cause the patient any discomfort at all. Moreover, you can do the research at home by purchasing special kits at the pharmacy, which are designed for self-collection of saliva analysis. After that, all that remains is to send them to the laboratory and wait for the results.

This is interesting

The process of salivation is divided into a conditioned reflex and an unconditioned reflex mechanism. The conditioned reflex process can be caused by any sight, smell of food, sounds associated with its preparation, or by talking and remembering food. The unconditional reflex process of salivation occurs already during the process of food entering the oral cavity.
If there is not enough saliva, food debris is not completely washed out of the mouth, which leads to teeth staining yellow.
The process of salivation decreases when fear or stress occurs, and stops altogether during sleep or under anesthesia.
0.5 – 2.5 liters is the amount of saliva secreted per day, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the human body.
If a person is in calm state, then the rate of saliva secretion does not exceed 0.24 ml/min, and during the process of chewing food it increases to 200 ml/min.
In people over 55 years of age, salivation slows down.
Insect bites are less painful and go away faster if they are moistened with saliva from time to time.
To get rid of warts, boils and various types inflammation of the skin, up to ringworm, use saliva lotions.
An increased dose of blood sugar negatively affects saliva production.

The quality of saliva and the presence of beneficial properties in it directly depends on general condition oral cavity, as well as the health of teeth and gums in particular. Therefore, regular visits to the dentist and compliance with the rules of oral hygiene will allow you to have healthy saliva, which, as it turns out, is very necessary for the human body.

We offer you excerpts from old newspapers that we have collected about the treatment with “hungry saliva” - a very interesting folk practice that has existed in Slavic villages since time immemorial. It must be said that people are still successfully treated with “hungry” saliva and confirmation of this is the recipes collected below.

Recipes for treating “hungry saliva”

Hungry saliva is saliva in the mouth immediately after waking up, on an empty stomach.

I read a lot about the benefits of hungry saliva, and then I decided to use it myself healing power. I want to tell you how I used it. So, when I woke up in the morning, I began to lubricate my eyes with hungry saliva so that a little of it would fall on eyeball. I lubricated it, let it dry and lubricated it again. So 10 times in a row. Soon after such procedures, the yellow plaques that were around my eyes disappeared, and my vision also improved significantly - I changed glasses with diopters +4 to +2.

Hungry saliva can also be cured warts and papillomas. To do this, in the morning (on an empty stomach), while lying in bed, moisten with saliva middle finger right (or left) hand and rub (without pressure) saliva into the wart (papilloma) counterclockwise until completely absorbed. Repeat 5-10 times, do daily until the wart (papilloma) disappears.

Foot bones and growths will disappear, if you lubricate them with hungry saliva every morning. Smear with your little finger from yourself.

Every morning, rubbing my eyes, eyelids, face and neck with hungry saliva, improve your vision, get rid of pendulous warts and wrinkles.

Treatment of barley. As soon as you feel the beginning of inflammation on the eyelid, wipe this area with “hungry” saliva. Wipe every hour. The next morning, use “hungry” saliva three times with an interval of half an hour. And then use regular saliva every hour. The stye will go away within 2 days.

Eyes - holyazium. Suddenly the eyelid of my left eye itched, then it went away, it just festered a little. I began to wash it with a decoction of chamomile and calendula flowers, and dripped albucid. And it seemed like it had healed. But... The nucleolus remained red, then turned pale, and a lump began to grow gray. I went to the ophthalmologist and she said, that this is holyazium, and told me to come to her in a month. When I came a month later, she gave me a referral for surgery. They put me on a waiting list and told me to come with a blood test for HIV: “Don’t come without a test, they won’t do the operation.” But the analysis was delayed, and I did not go for surgery. Cholyazium began to grow quickly, greatly interfered with vision and became larger than a pea. I was put on the line again. And I suddenly remembered that I had read somewhere about the healing properties of hungry human saliva, especially against skin diseases. And when I woke up in the morning, I began to lightly rub saliva into the holyazium. I was in no hurry to wash my face. After a week I noticed that it became soft. And then I began to diligently lubricate it with saliva, and after another week the cholazium began to decrease, and soon disappeared completely.

When I went to the ophthalmologist, she looked at medical card my last entry regarding the removal of cholazium. She looked at me. She looked at the chart again and asked: “Did you have surgery?” I replied: “No, I didn’t.” - "But as?" I say that for more than three weeks I lubricated it with hungry saliva every morning. The nurse sitting opposite her laughed and said, “What nonsense.” And the doctor says: “Yes, I heard that hungry saliva cures lichen.”

Moles. Then I treated the mole in the same way. I had a small mole on my nose, in the corner of my eye, for many years. With age, it began to increase and grew as big as a grain of wheat. I began to lubricate it with hungry saliva, and it shrank to its size.

Wen. Some kind of wen appeared on my thigh. It grew bigger than a pea and started to get in the way when I put on stockings. She began to smear it with saliva, and he also disappeared.

Scientific background

In an interview with doctor D.V. Naumov’s “Myth and Truth about Cholesterol” talks about lipase - this is a finely dispersed enzyme that works not only in the duodenum. It is also found in saliva.”
Mentions that “... the so-called lysozyme, a solvent of microbes, is released with saliva...”, and the candidate medical sciences I.V. Vorontsov in the article “Dysbacteriosis: kefir for microflora” in Healthy Lifestyle (No. 14, 2006). That is medicinal properties saliva is obvious.

Here is what Doctor of Medical Sciences Nikolai Shchepkin (Novosibirsk) says about this: “If they approached me with questions about healing qualities saliva five years ago, I would have just laughed in your face. I would say that this is all absurdity and women’s prejudices. However, in the summer of 2004, a man was sent to our institute who first got lost in the taiga, and then became closely acquainted with a bear. Fortunately, he managed to scare the beast - and it left, but before that it pretty much crushed the man. And he, wounded, somehow wandered around the forest for five days until geologists picked him up.

What’s amazing is that all the wounds on his body were clean! He was weak from blood loss and hunger, but there was no suppuration! And this is a real miracle. Usually, someone who is clawed, let alone bitten, by a bear, even if antibiotics are administered in time, begins to succumb to sepsis. And here - nothing! And the man didn’t have any medications! He said that he treated himself... with saliva. He had to believe it, because in this dramatic situation he really had nothing else to help himself with.

This incident prompted me to begin research into the properties of human saliva. It turned out the following: firstly, it is a unique antiseptic. Saliva taken directly from the mouth is practically sterile: it contains the germ-killing enzyme lysozyme. And also - possessing bactericidal effect lipase, which until now has only been found in secret duodenum. In addition, saliva contains natural antibiotics, sorbents, and substances that promote tissue regeneration in low concentrations... Until our experiments are completed, I cannot announce our preliminary conclusions. We examine people's saliva different ages, dogs, cats. I can already say now: the saliva of any living creature contains amazing healing potential! Don't be afraid to lick your wounds! They will definitely last!

source

Animals are their own healers and their instinct, during a period of illness, to eat exactly the herbs that will help them recover, still remains a mystery to us. How do they differentiate useful plant from poisonous? And their ability to lick their wounds with their tongue.

One would think that they have no choice, because they cannot buy their own medicine. But that's not the point. Nature took care of our smaller brothers and partly endowed them with the gift of self-healing. Medicinal healing properties saliva has been known since ancient times, but the attitude towards this method of treatment is twofold.

Having accidentally pricked ourselves or cut ourselves, we intuitively “lick” the blood that appears. At the same time, we forget the warnings of doctors about what to lick dirty hands It is dangerous, and the mouth contains many pathogenic microbes, which, if they get into the wound, can cause it to fester. Animals do not know about such arguments and therefore treat themselves with their own saliva.

Perhaps, observing our smaller brothers gave rise to testing the medicinal healing properties of the saliva of the person himself, especially the “hungry” one. Numerous recipes have survived to this day in which she acts as a healer and is able to cure many ailments. Just remember the most common beliefs in which medical supplies can replace simple saliva:

- in order for the suppuration to pass quickly, you need to suddenly spit in the eye of a person whose stye has popped off;

- at the first signs of the appearance of barley, it is necessary to lubricate this place with “hungry” saliva;

— in order for the ear piercing site to heal faster, it needs to be lubricated with saliva;

- for speedy healing umbilical wound baby, healers advised the young mother to lick it with her tongue.

Many will say that this is superstition and ignorance, but this has been used for many centuries and, strangely enough, it “works”.

The healing properties of saliva

To date, there is no significant evidence of the healing properties of saliva. Research in this area is being conducted, its composition is being studied, and even predictions are being made for sensational discoveries. This does not mean that this method of treatment has not been studied at all.

Doctor of Medical Sciences Nikolai Shchepkin from Novosibirsk, became interested in the healing properties of saliva after one case. At the beginning of the 21st century, one person was attacked by a bear in the taiga. He remained alive, but was severely “scratched” by the shaggy beast. Only a few days later he was able to receive medical help. At the same time, the doctors were surprised that the wounds did not fester, although by all indications sepsis should have developed. It turns out that the man was licking the bleeding wounds with his own saliva.

Many will say - a happy coincidence. But aren't there too many such coincidences? N. Shchepkin conducted research on the properties of human saliva and discovered:

- it is an antiseptic. It contains the enzyme lysozyme, which can destroy bacteria;

— lipase was found in saliva, which has bactericidal properties. Until recently, it was believed that this enzyme was present only in the secretion of the duodenum;

— other components of saliva are sorbents, natural antibiotics, substances that promote tissue regeneration.

The saliva of cats, dogs, and people of various age categories continues to be analyzed. Since the medicinal healing properties of saliva have not been fully studied, it is possible that in the near future we will hear new arguments in its favor.

Pets

It's no secret that animals spend a lot of time licking. This is both hygiene and a kind of massage. It is so provided by nature that animals are more adapted for harsh conditions life than a person. This may be why their saliva contains more natural antibiotics, and the concentration of biostimulants is several times higher than in humans.

Our pets have a “sixth sense” and often see our sores. Don't shoo away a cat or dog if it tries to lick you. Trust her intuition. She can see those hidden diseases that you don't even know about.

Treatment with “hungry” saliva

Saliva treatment can be quite effective, but it is not a panacea. Don't give up on those medical procedures prescribed by the doctor.

Here are a few recipes from Alexandra Krapivina’s book “Grandma’s Method. Treatment with saliva."

Treatment of herpes on the lips

Treatment is most effective at the first signs of a cold on the lips. In the morning, when the saliva is still “hungry”, lick the area of the rash as often as possible. In terms of time, the procedure can take up to 20 minutes. Repeat this every morning until the herpes goes away.

Treatment of sinusitis

Every morning, lubricate the areas of the maxillary chambers with “hungry” saliva and frontal sinuses. Before going to bed, you need to warm up these places sea salt, and after hot heat, lubricate them with saliva again. The course of treatment is up to 2 months.

Treatment of cracks, old calluses and corns on the feet

After waking up, rinse your feet well and dry them. Lubricate problem areas with “hungry” saliva and rub thoroughly. Then put on cotton socks, and after 30 minutes, lubricate your feet with any softening antiseptic cream.

From spring to autumn you can use in the following way. Before going to bed, rinse your feet well, dry them and apply a plantain leaf, which has been previously smeared with saliva, to problem areas. Secure it in place by wearing socks or an elastic band.

The same recipe can be used in the winter season, but the absence of plantain is replaced cabbage leaf.

In order to achieve healthy feet, 2 weeks is usually enough.

Treatment of varicose veins

The treatment method is the same as in the previous case - you will need saliva, plantain or cabbage leaf. Call on your pets, a cat or a dog, to help you. Spread sour cream on problem areas and invite the animal to lick it off. Their saliva has more pronounced healing properties, and therefore recovery will be faster.

Carry out treatment in courses of 2-3 weeks.

Tags: Medicinal healing properties of saliva

What do we do when we accidentally cut ourselves or inject ourselves? We subconsciously try to lick the wound. Animals do this too.

Treatment with saliva is a kind of intuitive impulse towards self-medication.

Saliva has medicinal properties, and the highest concentration active substances in the morning - before eating. She is also called “hungry”. The saliva of children under seven years of age also has remarkable healing properties. Their the immune system not yet so poisoned by modern food products.

In animal saliva natural antiseptics much more than in humans. That is why the well-known expression appeared: “heals like a dog.” Of course, they eat completely differently, don’t drink alcohol, don’t smoke, and don’t get nervous. It is thanks to this that animal saliva has the best bactericidal properties.

If your pet is constantly trying to lick your wound, don’t push him away. Perhaps he wants to cure you. The saliva of horses and cows is often used for treatment, but in biological activity it is inferior to, say, a cat.

Treatment with saliva is the use of a unique antiseptic, since it is almost sterile. It contains the enzyme lysozyme, which is capable of killing microbes, as well as lipase, which has bactericidal properties. In no large quantities Saliva contains substances that promote tissue regeneration; it contains natural antibiotics and sorbents.

Once in gastrointestinal tract, she cleans it. Without it, we would simply die from the large number of microbes that would enter our body with food. Smoking and drinking alcohol reduce the amount of saliva produced and weaken its healing properties.

Treatment with “hungry” saliva

It is impossible to “prepare hungry” saliva for future use, because over time it breaks down into water and starchy compounds. If you have slight salivation, then you can stimulate it like this: cut a lemon and imagine that you are drinking its juice, inhale the smell of your favorite dish, but do not try to “chew” it. lower lip, performing intense chewing movements.

Barley

As soon as you feel inflammation in the eye, treat with saliva and lubricate the eyelid every hour. In the morning, use “hungry” saliva every half hour, and then every hour - regular saliva. The stye will go away in two days.

Conjunctivitis

In the morning, rub your eyes with “hungry” saliva every thirty minutes. You can eat food only after the second wipe. The course of treatment is a month, but you will feel improvement immediately.

Herpes, cold sores

Waking up, lick sore spot 15 minutes, at short intervals. The result will be noticeable within a week.

Piercing, pierced ears

Regularly wipe the puncture sites with saliva.

Zhiroviki.

In the morning, lubricate the wen with “hungry” saliva, then lightly massage it. The wen will disappear in two to four weeks.

Warts, papillomas

It is necessary to treat with saliva in the morning, always “hungry”, lightly massaging them. In the evening, use regular saliva. They will disappear in two to three weeks.

Sore joints

In the morning, apply chewed (for at least a minute!) Borodino bread to the sore spot.

Easy to massage.

Treatment with saliva should be done at night. Treat, while doing a light massage.

Swelling usually disappears on the fifth to seventh day, and pain after 1.5 to 2 weeks.

Haemorrhoids

In the morning, massage the sore spot with “hungry” saliva, then insert a candle made of beets or potatoes (1 cm in diameter and 5 cm in length) into the rectum, after moistening them in saliva. Hemorrhoids will disappear in three to four days.

“Bones”, spurs on the legs.

Lubricate the problem area with “hungry” saliva, attach a copper circle moistened with saliva to it, and secure it. Treatment will last from three to six months.

Fungus on nails

Trim your nails shorter and use a nail file. In the morning, lubricate the affected nails with “hungry” saliva. Wipe at night apple cider vinegar. On smaller nails, the fungus will disappear in a month and a half, on larger nails - about six months.

Tumors

Wipe with “hungry” saliva every day, while moisturizing well and lightly massaging the area where there is swelling. In 75% of people, the tumor decreased or stopped growing within the first month. Treatment with saliva ("hungry" saliva) even helped people defeat cancer.

Goiter

Every morning, lubricate the “hungry” saliva area thyroid gland. Lubricate five times in a row at intervals of 5 - 10 minutes. Thyroid It will return to normal within a month and a half.

Diathesis in a child

Of course, you need to know the cause of the diathesis. Lubricate problem areas with your “hungry” saliva every day.

Scoliosis in a child

This unusual method of treatment was used by our ancestors.

Before going to bed, place the child on a flat place, stomach down. Apply sour cream along the spine and let the dog lick it off.

After this, throw a woolen scarf over the back, secure it and put the child to sleep.

Usually, after a month of treatment, the back became straight.

Abdominal pain

Wet your left palm with saliva and put it back solar plexus and slowly massage counterclockwise. Every five minutes, wet your palm with saliva. Usually the pain will go away after 10-15 minutes.

Insomnia

It is necessary to moisten your fingers with saliva and lightly massage the eyelids, bridge of the nose, and the points between the index and thumb on hands. Insomnia will go away in 10 minutes.

Calluses

Moisten with saliva, apply cabbage or plantain leaves moistened with saliva. If possible, let your dog or cat lick the callus.

Head pain

Wet your fingers with saliva and quickly rub your temples counterclockwise, as well as the point between the eyes. Repeat every 15 minutes until headache it won't work.

IMPORTANT!

It must be remembered that saliva treatment can replace some types of traditional medicine. Saliva can also help in some ways in case of emergency in the absence of medications.

But under no circumstances should you refuse traditional treatment in favor of salivary therapy for severe illnesses!

Health and traditional medicine

We swallow saliva regularly. And we are accustomed to the fact that the oral cavity is always wet and we perceive the cessation of sufficient production of this biological fluid with suspicion. As a rule, increased dry mouth is a sign of some disease.

Saliva is a common and necessary biologically active liquid. Helps maintain the level of immune defense in the oral cavity and digestion of food. What is the composition of human saliva, fluid production rates, as well as physical and chemical properties?

Saliva is biological substance secreted by the salivary glands. Produce liquid 6 large glands- submandibular, parotid, sublingual - and many small ones located in the oral cavity. Up to 2.5 liters of fluid are released per day.

Composition of secretions salivary glands differs from the composition of the liquid in. This is due to the presence of food debris and the presence of microorganisms.

Functions of biological fluid:

wetting the food bolus;
disinfectant;
protective;
promotes articulation and swallowing of food bolus;
breakdown of carbohydrates in the oral cavity;
transport - the liquid wets the epithelium of the oral cavity and participates in the exchange of substances between saliva and the oral mucosa.

Mechanism of saliva production

Physical properties and composition of saliva

Biological fluid healthy person has a number of physical and chemical properties. They are presented in the table.

Table 1. Normal characteristics of saliva.

The main component of oral fluid is water – up to 98%. The remaining components can be divided into acids, minerals, microelements, enzymes, metal compounds, organics.

Organic composition

The overwhelming number of components of organic origin that make up saliva are protein in nature. Their quantity varies from 1.4 to 6.4 g/l.

Types of protein compounds:

glycoproteins;
mucins are high-molecular glycoproteins that ensure the ingestion of bolus food – 0.9–6.0 g/l;
immunoglobulins class A, G and M;
whey protein fractions– enzymes, albumins;
salivoprotein is a protein involved in the formation of plaque on teeth;
phosphoprotein – binds calcium ions to form tartar;
– participates in the processes of splitting di- and polysaccharides into smaller fractions;
maltase is an enzyme that breaks down maltose and sucrose;
lipase;
proteolytic component – for the breakdown of protein fractions;
lipolytic components - act on fatty foods;
lysozyme – has a disinfecting effect.

In the discharge of the salivary glands, small amounts of cholesterol, cholesterol-based compounds, and fatty acids are found.

Composition of saliva

In addition, hormones are present in the oral fluid:

cortisol;
estrogens;
progesterone;
testosterone.

Saliva is involved in wetting food and forming a food bolus. Already in the oral cavity, enzymes break down complex carbohydrates to monomers.

Mineral (inorganic) components

Inorganic fractions in saliva are represented by acidic residues of salts and metal cations.

Mineral composition of the secretion of the salivary glands:

chlorides – up to 31 mmol/l;
bromides;
iodides;
oxygen;
nitrogen;
carbon dioxide;
uric acid salts – up to 750 mmol/l;
anions of phosphorus-containing acids;
carbonates and bicarbonates – up to 13 mmol/l;
sodium – up to 23 mmol/l;
– up to 0.5 mmol/l;
calcium – up to 2.7 mmol/l;
strontium;
copper.

In addition, saliva contains small amounts of vitamins of various groups.

Features of the composition

The composition of saliva can change with age, as well as with the presence of diseases.

Chemical composition oral fluid varies depending on the patient's age, his current state, availability bad habits, the speed of its production.

Saliva is a dynamic fluid, that is, the ratio of various substances varies depending on what food is in the oral cavity at the current time. For example, eating carbohydrates and sweets increases glucose and lactate. Smokers have higher levels of radon salts than non-smokers.

A person's age has a significant impact. Thus, in older people, the level of calcium in the salivary fluid increases, which provokes the formation of stone on the teeth.

Changes in quantitative indicators depend on the general condition of the person, the presence chronic pathologies or inflammatory process in acute stage. Drugs taken on an ongoing basis also have a significant impact.

For example, with hypovolemia, diabetes mellitus is happening a sharp decline secretion production of the salivary glands, but the amount of glucose increases. For kidney diseases - uremia of various origins– nitrogen levels increase.

During inflammatory processes in the oral cavity, a decrease in lysozyme is observed with an increase in enzyme production. This aggravates the course of the disease and contributes to the destruction of periodontal tissue. Lack of oral fluid is a cariogenic factor.

Subtleties of saliva secretion

0.5 ml of saliva per minute should be produced in a healthy person in daytime

Controls the functioning of the salivary glands vegetative nervous system centered in the medulla oblongata. Salivary fluid production varies depending on the time of day. At night and during sleep, its amount decreases sharply and increases during the day. In a state of anesthesia, the work of the glands completely stops.

During wakefulness, 0.5 ml of saliva is secreted per minute. If the glands are stimulated - for example, during a meal - they produce up to 2.3 ml of liquid secretion.

The composition of the secretion of each gland is different. When it enters the oral cavity, mixing occurs, and it is called “oral fluid.” Unlike the sterile secretion of the salivary glands, it contains beneficial and opportunistic microflora, metabolic products, desquamated epithelium of the oral cavity, discharge from maxillary sinuses, sputum, red and white blood cells.

pH values are influenced by compliance hygiene requirements, nature of food. So, when stimulating the work of the glands, the indicators shift to the alkaline side, and with a lack of fluid - to the acidic side.

At different pathological processes there is a decrease or increase in the secretion of oral fluid. So, with stomatitis, neuralgia of the branches trigeminal nerve, various bacterial diseases hyperproduction is observed. At inflammatory processes V respiratory system, the secretion production of the salivary glands decreases.

Some conclusions

Saliva is a dynamic fluid that is sensitive to all processes occurring in the body at the current moment in time.
Its composition is constantly changing.
Saliva has many functions other than lubricating the mouth and bolus food.
Changes in the composition of oral fluid may indicate pathological processes occurring in the body.

Instructions for use, saliva:

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Read along with this article:

Human saliva is a colorless and transparent biological fluid of an alkaline reaction, which is secreted by three large salivary glands: submandibular, sublingual and parotid, and many small glands located in the oral cavity. Its main components are water (98.5%), trace elements and alkali metal cations, as well as acid salts. By wetting the oral cavity, it helps free articulation and protects tooth enamel from mechanical, thermal and cold influences. Under the influence of salivary enzymes, it starts the process of digesting carbohydrates.

The protective function of saliva is manifested in the following:

Protecting the oral mucosa from drying out.
Neutralization of alkalis and acids.
Due to the content of the protein substance lysozyme in saliva, which has a bacteriostatic effect, regeneration of the epithelium of the oral mucosa occurs.
Nuclease enzymes, also found in saliva, help protect the body from viral infections.
Saliva contains enzymes (antithrombins and antithrombinoplastins) that prevent blood clotting.
Many immunoglobulins contained in saliva protect the body from the possibility of penetration of pathogens.

The digestive function of saliva is to wet the bolus of food and prepare it for swallowing and digestion. All this is facilitated by mucin, which is part of saliva, which glues food into a lump.

Excretory function. Saliva has the ability to secrete metabolic products from the body. For example, some medications, uric acid, urea, or mercury and lead salts can be excreted in saliva. All of them leave the human body at the moment of spitting saliva.

Recently, the importance of saliva has become even greater - now it is used to diagnose various diseases not only of the oral cavity, but also of the entire body. All that is needed for this is to collect a few drops of saliva on a cotton swab. Next, a test is performed that can reveal the presence of oral diseases, alcohol levels, the hormonal state of the body, the presence or absence of HIV and many other indicators of human health.

The process of salivation is divided into a conditioned reflex and an unconditioned reflex mechanism. The conditioned reflex process can be caused by any sight, smell of food, sounds associated with its preparation, or by talking and remembering food. The unconditional reflex process of salivation occurs already during the process of food entering the oral cavity.
If there is not enough saliva, food debris is not completely washed out of the mouth, which leads to teeth staining yellow.
The process of salivation decreases when fear or stress occurs, and stops altogether during sleep or under anesthesia.
0.5 – 2.5 liters is the amount of saliva secreted per day, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the human body.
If a person is in a calm state, then the rate of saliva secretion does not exceed 0.24 ml/min, and in the process of chewing food it increases to 200 ml/min.
In people over 55 years of age, salivation slows down.
Insect bites are less painful and go away faster if they are moistened with saliva from time to time.
To get rid of warts, abscesses and various types of inflammation on the skin, including ringworm, saliva lotions are used.
An increased dose of blood sugar negatively affects saliva production.

The quality of saliva and the presence of beneficial properties in it directly depends on the general condition of the oral cavity, as well as on the health of teeth and gums in particular. That's why

Saliva is 98% water, but other substances dissolved in it provide the characteristic viscous consistency. The mucin contained in it glues pieces of food together, moistens the resulting lumps and helps with swallowing, reducing friction. Lysozyme is a good antibacterial substance that copes well with pathogenic microbes that enter the mouth with food.

The enzymes amylase, oxidase and maltase begin to digest food already at the chewing stage - first of all, they break down carbohydrates, preparing them for the further digestion process. There are also other enzymes, vitamins, cholesterol, urea and many different elements. Also, salts of various acids are dissolved in saliva, which provide it with a pH level from 5.6 to 7.6.

One of the main functions of saliva is to lubricate the oral cavity to assist with articulation, chewing, and swallowing. This liquid also allows the taste buds to perceive the taste of food. Germicidal saliva cleanse the oral cavity, protect teeth from caries, and the body from infections. It heals wounds on the gums and palate, and washes out bacteria, viruses and fungi from the spaces between teeth.

The composition of saliva in the oral cavity differs from the secretion contained in the salivary glands, since it mixes with microorganisms and other substances that enter the mouth with food, dust, and air.

Saliva production

Saliva is produced by special salivary glands, which are found in large quantities in the oral cavity. There are three pairs of the largest and most important glands: these are the parotid, submandibular and sublingual, they produce most saliva. But other, smaller and more numerous glands are also involved in the process.

The production of saliva begins at the command of the brain - its part called medulla where the salivation centers are located. In certain situations - before eating, during stress, when thinking about food - these centers begin their work and send a command to the salivary glands. When chewing, especially a lot of saliva is released, as the muscles compress the glands.

The human body produces from one to two liters of saliva per day. Its quantity is influenced various factors: age, food quality, activity and even mood. Yes, when nervous excitement the salivary glands begin to work more actively. And in their sleep they hardly produce saliva.

Saliva I Saliva (saliva)

secretion of the salivary glands, secreted in. Normally, an adult excretes up to 2 l saliva. The rate of S. secretion is uneven: it is minimal during sleep (less than 0.05 ml per minute), when awake outside of meals is about 0.5 ml per minute, with stimulation of salivation S. increases to 2.3 ml in a minute.

Mixed S. is a viscous (due to the presence of glycoproteins) liquid with a specific gravity from 1001 to 1017. Some turbidity of S. is caused by the presence cellular elements. Saliva pH fluctuations depend on hygienic condition oral cavity, the nature of food, the rate of secretion (at a low rate of secretion, the pH of saliva shifts to the acidic side, and when salivation is stimulated, it shifts to the alkaline side).

Approximately 99.5% of saliva consists of water, in which organic and mineral substances are dissolved.

The main enzymes of S. are (α-amylase), which converts polysaccharides into di- and monosaccharides, and α-glycosidase, or α-glycosidase, which breaks down maltose and sucrose. Lipases, phosphatases, etc. are also found in saliva. In mixed S., its esters, free glycerophospholipids (estrogens, testosterone), various and other substances are also present in small quantities.

The mineral substances that make up S. are represented by anions of chlorides, bromide, fluorides, iodides, phosphates, bicarbonates, cations of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, strontium, etc.

By wetting and softening solid food, S. ensures the formation of a food bolus and facilitates the swallowing of food. After soaking, S. already in the oral cavity undergoes initial chemical treatment, during which they are partially hydrolyzed by α-amylase to dextrins and maltose. Dissolution in saliva chemical substances, included in food, contributes to the perception of taste by the taste analyzer. S. has protective function, cleansing the oral mucosa from bacteria and their metabolic products, food debris, and detritus. The immunoglobulins and lysozyme contained in S. also play a protective role. As a result of the secretory activity of the large and small salivary glands, the mouth is moistened, which is a necessary condition to carry out two-way transport of chemicals between the oral mucosa and saliva.

The quantity, chemical composition and properties of S. vary depending on the nature of the causative agent of secretion (for example, the type of food taken) and the rate of secretion. Thus, when eating cookies and sweets in mixed S., the level of glucose and lactate temporarily increases; when salivation is stimulated, sodium and bicarbonates sharply increase in the S., the level of potassium and iodine does not change or slightly decreases; the S. of smokers has several times more thiocyanates than non-smokers. The chemical composition of calcium is subject to daily fluctuations; it also depends on age (in older people, for example, the amount of calcium increases significantly, which is important for the formation of tartar and salivary stone). Changes in the composition of S. may be associated with the intake medicinal substances and intoxications. The composition of S. also changes with a number of pathological conditions and diseases. Thus, when the body is dehydrated, there is a sharp decrease in salivation; with diabetes mellitus, the amount of glucose in saliva increases; with uremia in S. the content of residual nitrogen increases significantly.

II Saliva (saliva)

secretion of the salivary glands; contains digestive enzymes, mainly amylase.

1. Small medical encyclopedia. - M.: Medical encyclopedia. 1991-96 2. First health care. - M.: Bolshaya Russian Encyclopedia. 1994 3. Encyclopedic Dictionary medical terms. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. - 1982-1984.

Synonyms:

See what “Saliva” is in other dictionaries:

Saliva, saliva, saliva, saliva, saliva, saliva, saliva, saliva, saliva, saliva, saliva, saliva, saliva (Source: “Full accentuated paradigm according to A. A. Zaliznyak”) ... Forms of words

Transparent viscous secretion of the salivary glands, secreted into the oral cavity. The composition of saliva includes water (98.5–99.5%) and inorganic substances dissolved in it. and organic connections. S. has a slightly acidic or slightly alkaline reaction (pH 5.6–7.6). In a day a person... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary

Y; and. A liquid secreted by special glands in the oral cavity of humans and animals that helps wet and digest food. Swallow saliva. Spit out saliva. Abundant village To splash saliva (also: to speak excitedly, with heat, with anger). ◁… … encyclopedic Dictionary

SALIVA, a liquid secreted by the SALIVARY GLANDS into the oral cavity. In vertebrates, saliva is 99% water, in which small amounts of sodium, potassium, calcium and the enzyme AMYLASE are dissolved. Saliva softens and moistens food, making it easier... ... Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary

SALIVA, saliva, pl. no (cf. drool), female A viscous, slightly cloudy, viscous liquid secreted in the oral cavity of humans and animals by special glands, which moistens food and thereby facilitates its digestion. Salivation. Swallow saliva. Abundant... ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

saliva- SALIVA1, s, g Liquid secreted by special glands in the oral cavity of humans and animals and facilitating the wetting and digestion of food. “With sugar!..” Elya thought and swallowed saliva, but the saliva did not wet her throat, it stuck in it, it was so dry (V. Ast... Explanatory dictionary of Russian nouns

SALIVA, s, female. A colorless liquid secreted in the oral cavity of humans and animals and moistens food when chewed. Abundant village Splash with saliva (also translated: speak excitedly, with heat, with anger). | adj. salivary, oh, oh. Salivary glands.… … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

SALIVA, slobber, etc. see slurry. Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary. IN AND. Dal. 1863 1866 … Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary

Foam, secret Dictionary of Russian synonyms. saliva noun, number of synonyms: 3 foam (12) secret ... Synonym dictionary

saliva- - This colorless liquid, pouring, consisting of water, mineral components, organic matter(mucin) and diastase, ptyalin or salivary amylase. Salivation occurs constantly, but increases at the time of eating as a reflex... ... Universal additional practical Dictionary I. Mostitsky

saliva- saliva, gen. saliva and obsolete saliva, gen. saliva... Dictionary of difficulties of pronunciation and stress in modern Russian language

Books

Saliva. Analytical capabilities and prospects, Tatyana Pavlovna Vavilova, Oleg Olegovich Yanushevich, I. G. Ostrovskaya. This monograph outlines current information about the functions of mixed saliva, the role of its proteins and peptides in maintaining homeostasis of the oral cavity. Special attention paid to the specifics of the study...