How much do you know about saliva and salivation?

• Salivation is provided by different glands and varies in flow rate.
• Saliva is made up of organic and hydro-electrolyte components.
• Organic components include amylase, lipase, lysozymes, albumin, IgA, and kallikrein.
• Hydro-electrolytic components include primary saliva and secondary saliva.
• Salivation is controlled by various factors including the salivary bulbo-protuberantial nucleus, conditioned reflexes, and the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.
• Saliva solubilizes and softens food, aids in digestion, and promotes dental and oral hygiene.
• It has anti-infective properties and prevents dental plaque.
• An increase in salivation can be caused by seeing or smelling food, the esophagogastro-salivary reflex, vomiting, and pregnancy.
• Dry syndrome can cause a decrease in salivation.
• The flow of salivation can affect its excretion time and transition from primary to secondary saliva.

How much do you know about saliva and the process of salivation? Test your knowledge with this quiz! Learn about the different components of saliva, the factors that control salivation, and the important roles that saliva plays in digestion and oral hygiene. Discover the causes and effects of changes in salivation, and see how much you know about this important bodily function. Keywords: Salivation, saliva components, digestion, oral hygiene, anti-infective properties, sympathetic nervous system, parasympathetic