Humans Produce Enough Saliva to Fill Two Pools

Humans Produce Enough Saliva to Fill Two Pools

Humans produce enough saliva to fill two pools in a lifetime. That is a massive amount of saliva. In one day a human can produce up to a liter and a half of the bodily fluid. Because it is a bodily fluid, it has the ability to transfer infectious diseases from one human to another, but thankfully not HIV. In many cultures, it is both disrespectful and an assault to spit on someone.

The Functions of Saliva

Saliva has many functions. The moisture helps to coat our mouths. Saliva can help keep our mouths clean by washing away any food particles.

Saliva is a way of chemically breaking down our food as we chew. We would not be able to taste our delicious food if our mouths weren’t coated with saliva. The enzyme amylase helps to break down the sugars found in food. This aids in the transport of broken food down the esophagus. Saliva is important for digestion.

Saliva can also be a sign that something is about to happen. Ivan Pavolv theorized that beings respond to stimuli. Dogs would start salivating when they heard a bell thinking they would receive a steak. This is true in people as well. When people think about food when they are hungry they start to salivate. They do this in anticipation to chemically break down their food.

Saliva fills our mouth when we are about to participate in reverse peristalsis, or vomiting. The saliva coats the inside of our mouth to prepare for gastric acid. This saliva helps to create a barrier from the tissue in our mouth being burnt from stomach acid.

Final Thoughts

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