Quiz: What Does Saliva Do?
You are likely certain that you have saliva for a particular reason. After all, it’s always there. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you know much about its main purpose, how it helps your mouth function, or what might happen if you were to find yourself with a sudden deficit. While this detail of your oral health may seem quite mysterious, we can clear up any uncertainty with a quick quiz.
Quiz Questions: True or False?
- True or False: One of the main functions of saliva is to help get digestion going by softening the food you place into your mouth.
- True or False: While it seems basic, part of the function of saliva is to keep your smile comfortable, so you can speak and chew and even rest without discomfort.
- True or False: Saliva actually protects your oral health in a variety of ways. When saliva flow is down, problems with your smile may increase.
Quiz Answers
- True. The moment you place food into your mouth is the moment digestion begins. Saliva is there to help moisten and soften the food and to begin breaking it down, so you can swallow it.
- True. Without a moist mouth, your tissues would rub against one another like sandpaper! Saliva keeps everything nicely lubricated, so you speak and eat without much effort.
- True. Without saliva, your oral health suffers. This is why dry conditions in your mouth can become dangerous. You need moisture to prevent dry mouth, bad breath, cavity formation, and gum health concerns (all of which come from bacterial accumulation that happens when inadequate saliva flow takes place).
Learn More About Your Oral Health
If you’re interested in learning more about your smile, then schedule a visit with your dentist as soon as possible, so we can provide you with additional education. Call our Cleveland Family Dental office in Cleveland, TX, today at (281) 592-1234. We proudly serve patients and their families from Cleveland, Kingwood, New Caney, Conroe, Livingston, Huffman, and all surrounding communities.