Saliva

Most of us go through our entire lives without thinking about saliva. It is just there. But here is what nobody tells you, your mouth is producing up to 1.5 litres of liquid every single day, automatically, without you doing a single thing.

That liquid is not just water. Saliva is one of the hardest working substances in your body. The moment food enters your mouth, saliva gets to work breaking it down before you even swallow. It contains an enzyme called amylase that starts digesting starchy foods immediately. This is why if you chew a plain cracker long enough, it begins to taste sweet, that is your saliva converting starch into sugar right there in your mouth.

But digestion is just one job. Saliva also coats your teeth with a protective layer that fights off acid and bacteria around the clock. Every time you eat something acidic, saliva neutralises it and protects your enamel. Without it, your teeth would decay rapidly.

Here is the part that really stops people: you cannot taste anything without saliva. Taste buds can only detect flavour when food is dissolved in liquid. Saliva is that liquid. No saliva means no taste. None at all.

Over a lifetime, your body will produce enough saliva to fill two swimming pools. And it never stops even while you sleep, your glands are quietly working away. Your body never truly clocks off.

Verify here:

- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/saliva

- https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/what-is-saliva