The Little Details…like Spit!
The late John Wooden, UCLA’s legendary basketball coach, was wise both on the court and off. After his coaching career, he was a coveted guest speaker around the country and is often quoted. One bit of advice attributed to Coach Wooden is this nugget of truth:
“It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.”
I know it’s a simple statement, but it is really so true! That’s why it popped into my mind while I was catching up recently on some dental research.
For most people the term “dentistry” brings to mind the mouth, teeth and gums. The term “saliva” or “spit” is not typically our first thought. I suppose the general population is kind of squeamish about that sort of thing, but as a family dentist, I had to get over that reaction long ago!
The salivary system is actually a complex environment and crucial to our oral and digestive health. It maintains the health of the soft and hard tissues in our mouths and assists our speech. It contains antioxidants and many disease fighting substances that repair cell damage, control microbe levels, and help inhibit the development of dental cavities. It’s an integral part of our digestive system, lubricating the mouth and throat so we can chew and swallow foods.
Did You Know…?
- The body produces between one and two pints of saliva per day.
- Spit buffers oral acid to keep the mouth at a pH of 7.0-7.5.
- Asthmatics have more cavities than non-asthmatics, studies show. Dry mouths may be the reason.
- Stress and depression can reduce saliva levels.
- Saliva flow is higher when sitting and standing than when lying on a bed.
- The three primary sources of saliva include the parotid, submandibular and sublingual glands, plus the uvula, and more than 600 other minor glands that contribute to salivation.
- Saliva is 98 percent water. Enzymes, mucus, antioxidants, proteins, electrolytes and other important substances comprise the other 2 percent.
- Being overly excited or angry can increase salivation.
- Saliva washes away debris and baths the enamel with calcium, urea, bicarbonate and phosphate ions, which help repair teeth.
- The submandibular glands produce 70 percent of the mouth’s saliva.
- Elevated cortisol levels in saliva have been used to detect stress in newborns and have been linked to compromised cognitive function (memory issues), according to a Maryland study reported in General Psychiatry (July 2007).
- Chewing gum (preferably sugarless gum containing xylitol) activates saliva flow and can increase output by 1000 percent.
- Saliva output increases before vomiting, and the bicarbonate it contains acts as an acid-buffering agent, which protects tooth enamel.
- If lost in a cave without any light, you would produce up to 40 percent less saliva. Wearing a blind fold would elicit the same response, studies show.
- According to the Academy of General Dentistry, nine out of 10 systemic diseases produce oral signs and symptoms.
- Enamel gets harder as we age, thanks to its constant saliva bath.
- Chewing gum or sucking on hard candy may help surgery patients recover normal bowel function faster – thanks in part to increased salivation, some doctors have noted.
- Pregnant women may drool more during their pregnancies.
- Strong smells cause a short-term increase in salivation.
- One in five adults will experience acute or long-term “dry mouth.”
- Researchers have found that saliva is a good diagnostic tool. For example, scientists have identified more than four dozen proteins in saliva that distinguish healthy women from those with an elevated breast cancer risk.
- A simple saliva test can detect HIV, illegal drugs and other environmental toxins.
- Radiation, chemotherapy and autoimmune diseases reduce salivary flow – as can hundreds of prescription drugs.
- UCLA has developed a saliva test that is able to predict head and neck cancer patients with 82 percent accuracy. Additional research is ongoing to find identifying biomarkers for other diseases as well.
I hope you found this information interesting. The human body is truly a wonder.
Best regards, AM
Tip of the Day: After brushing your teeth, rinse your brush thoroughly under water. Then soak your brush in mouthwash while flossing. Tap off the excess mouthwash before putting your brush away. It will taste nice and fresh in the morning and have less bacteria on it.
