Saliva facts for kids
Saliva is a clear liquid made in your mouth. It's produced by special parts called salivary glands. Saliva is mostly water (about 99.5%), but it also has many other important things. These include tiny bits called electrolytes, a slippery substance called mucus, and even some white blood cells.
Saliva also contains special helpers called enzymes. Two important enzymes are amylase and lipase. These enzymes start breaking down your food as soon as it enters your mouth. They help digest starchy foods and fats. Saliva also helps keep your teeth clean by washing away food bits that could cause tooth decay.
Besides digestion, saliva makes food wet and slippery. This helps you swallow your food easily. It also keeps the inside of your mouth from getting dry.
Contents
What is Saliva?
Saliva is a special body fluid that helps you in many ways. It's made by glands located around your mouth. Think of it as your mouth's natural cleaner and helper for eating!
What's Inside Saliva?
Even though saliva looks like plain water, it's actually a mix of many things.
- Water: This is the main ingredient, making up most of saliva.
- Electrolytes: These are tiny particles like sodium and potassium that help your body work correctly.
- Mucus: This makes saliva a bit thick and slippery, which helps food slide down your throat.
- Enzymes: These are like tiny workers that start breaking down your food. For example, amylase helps digest starches, and lipase helps digest fats.
- Antimicrobial Agents: Saliva has natural germ-fighters like IgA and lysozymes. These help protect your mouth from bad bacteria.
- Cells: You can even find tiny skin cells from your mouth in saliva. Scientists can use these cells to get DNA!
How Saliva Helps You
Saliva plays several important roles every day:
- Starting Digestion: The enzymes in saliva begin to break down food as soon as you chew. This makes it easier for your stomach to finish the job.
- Protecting Your Teeth: Saliva washes away food particles stuck in your teeth. This helps prevent bacteria from causing cavities. The germ-fighting parts of saliva also help keep your mouth healthy.
- Helping You Swallow: Saliva makes your food soft and wet. This helps it form a ball that you can easily swallow.
- Keeping Your Mouth Moist: Saliva stops your mouth from drying out. A dry mouth can be uncomfortable and make it hard to speak or eat.
Amazing Animal Saliva
Humans aren't the only ones who use saliva in cool ways. Many animals have special uses for their saliva too!
- Swift Birds: Some types of swift birds use their very sticky saliva to build their nests. These nests are so unique that some cultures use them to make a special dish called bird's nest soup!
- Snakes: Cobras and vipers are types of snakes that use their saliva as venom. They inject this venom through their fangs to hunt and protect themselves.
- Caterpillars: Some caterpillars can make silk from special glands that are like salivary glands. This silk is used to build cocoons or webs.
Images for kids
-
Saliva on a baby's lips
See also
In Spanish: Saliva para niños
