Translations:Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Health and Science/Digestion/9/en

4. Where does saliva come from? What are the three functions of saliva?

Saliva, often informally known as spit, is the moist, clear, and usually somewhat frothy substance produced in the mouth. Saliva is produced in and secreted from the salivary glands.

1. Saliva moistens food so it can be swallowed easily.
2. Saliva contains an enzyme that breaks some starches down into maltose and dextrin.
3. Saliva protects teeth from decay by plaque. Saliva is used to neutralize acids made from sugars in the mouth, therefore helping to prevent demineralization. Remineralization is when saliva helps repair the damaged crystals of the tooth enamel.