Saliva: An all-rounder of our body

Eva Roblegg; Alanna Coughran; Davud Sirjani

doi:10.1016/j.ejpb.2019.06.016

Saliva: An all-rounder of our body

Eur J Pharm Biopharm. 2019 Sep:142:133-141. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2019.06.016. Epub 2019 Jun 18.

Authors

Eva Roblegg¹, Alanna Coughran², Davud Sirjani²

Affiliations

¹ University of Graz, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Universitaetsplatz 1, 8010 Graz, Austria. Electronic address: eva.roblegg@uni-graz.at.
² Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University, 801 Welch Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.

PMID: 31220573
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2019.06.016

Abstract

Saliva is a multifaceted bodily fluid that is often taken for granted but is indispensable for oral health and overall well-being in humans. Although mainly comprised of water (99.5%), proteins, ions and enzymes turn saliva into a viscoelastic solution that performs a variety of vital tasks. This review article gives a brief overview of the salivary gland system, as well as the composition, output and functions of saliva. It also addresses the current applications of saliva for diagnostic purposes, the clinical relevance of saliva in oral diseases as well as current treatment options.

Keywords: Ions; Properties; Proteins; Saliva; Salivary gland hypofunction; Salivary glands; Secretion; Viscoelasticity; Xerostomia.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Body Fluids / metabolism
Humans
Mouth Diseases / metabolism
Oral Health
Saliva / metabolism*
Salivary Glands / metabolism*