Saliva is constantly flowing into your mouth.
How much saliva is there in your mouth right now? If you try to empty it with a swallow, you’d be surprised at just how quickly it fills up again until pretty soon you’d have to clear it once more from your mouth at the risk of drooling ridiculously like an infant. Without thinking about it, we are constantly making saliva. Then, we slosh it around and swallow it. However, the whole process — no matter how gross or tiresome swallowing saliva — almost goes unnoticed. Thankfully, spit is just another vital bodily function you don’t have to think about.
Throughout the day, salivary glands in your mouth make a whopping two to four pints of saliva a day. That’s like drinking four to six cups of your own drool daily! While saliva can sometimes feel like a nuisance or an inconvenience you can’t seem to get a grip on, it is actually crucial in maintaining good dental health as it neutralizes acids produced by bacteria, limits bacterial growth, and washes away stray food particles. It also enhances our ability to taste food and makes it easier for us to chew and swallow. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather have enough saliva than suffer from a dry mouth any day.
