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Saliva on a baby's lips. Saliva (commonly referred to as spit or drool) is an extracellular fluid produced and secreted by salivary glands in the mouth.In humans, saliva is around 99% water, plus electrolytes, mucus, white blood cells, epithelial cells (from which DNA can be extracted), enzymes (such as lipase and amylase), and antimicrobial agents (such as secretory IgA, and lysozymes).
It has also been defined as increased amount of saliva in the mouth, which may also be caused by decreased clearance of saliva. [4] Hypersalivation can contribute to drooling if there is an inability to keep the mouth closed or difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia) the excess saliva, which can lead to excessive spitting.
Saliva is a useful biological fluid for assaying steroid hormones such as cortisol, genetic material like RNA, proteins such as enzymes and antibodies, and a variety of other substances, including natural metabolites, including saliva nitrite, a biomarker for nitric oxide status (see below for Cardiovascular Disease, Nitric Oxide: a salivary ...
Drooling can be caused by excess production of saliva, inability to retain saliva within the mouth (incontinence of saliva), or problems with swallowing (dysphagia or odynophagia). There are some frequent and harmless cases of drooling – for instance, a numbed mouth from either benzocaine , or when going to the dentist's office.
Spitting of small saliva droplets can also happen unintentionally during talking, especially when articulating ejective and implosive consonants. Spitting in public is considered rude and a social taboo in many parts of the world including the West, while in some other parts of the world it is considered more socially acceptable.
They are the largest of the salivary glands. Each parotid is wrapped around the mandibular ramus, and secretes serous saliva through the parotid duct into the mouth, to facilitate mastication and swallowing and to begin the digestion of starches. There are also two other types of salivary glands; they are submandibular and sublingual glands. [1]
Saliva consists of mucus and serous fluid; the serous fluid contains the enzyme amylase, which is important for the digestion of carbohydrates. Minor salivary glands of von Ebner present on the tongue secrete the lipase. The parotid gland produces purely serous saliva. The other major salivary glands produce mixed (serous and mucus) saliva.
It is caused by precipitation of minerals from saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) in plaque on the teeth. This process of precipitation kills the bacterial cells within dental plaque, but the rough and hardened surface that is formed provides an ideal surface for further plaque formation.