Role |
Observations |
Taste |
Saliva participates actively in taste perception by dissolving alimentary substances. |
Protection |
Against inflammation and infection through specific biomolecules; mechanical wear through lubricating the oral tissues
Oral clearance - removal of unwanted foreign substances
Prevents enamel erosion |
Buffer system |
Saliva maintains a constant salivary pH |
Digestion |
Involved in formation of alimentary bolus; relationships between salivary flow and composition and process of swallowing. |
Protection against foreign microorganisms. |
Antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties |