Have you ever thought about how wet the inside of your mouth is? That’s because there’s always a lot of spit, or saliva, in there! Saliva is super important and does many helpful things for us.
Saliva is made by special parts of our body called salivary glands. These glands look like little blobs, and we have six of them: two under your tongue, two by the back of your jaw under your chin, and two under your ears. These glands are always busy making saliva, and they produce about 4-8 cups of it every day!
Saliva is mostly made of water, and it keeps our mouths wet. This helps us move our tongues and lips when we talk. It’s also super helpful for eating. Saliva makes the food in your mouth wet, which makes it easier to chew and swallow. Plus, it helps your food taste better! The flavors in food, like salt and sugar, need to dissolve in water for your taste buds to taste them. Without saliva, even a cookie would taste dry and crumbly!
Saliva does more than just help us talk and taste. It also helps us digest our food before it even reaches our stomachs. Besides water, saliva contains tiny particles called enzymes. These enzymes help break down food into smaller pieces that our bodies can use for energy. The enzymes in saliva start breaking down foods like bread, cereal, or potatoes as soon as you put them in your mouth. This gives your body a head start on digesting the food!
So, saliva helps us talk, taste, and even get energy from our food. It’s amazing how something so simple can be so important! Next time you eat, remember how helpful your saliva is. And if all this talk about food is making you hungry, it’s the perfect time to use some of that saliva!
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Saliva Experiment: Try this fun experiment to see how saliva helps with tasting. Take two small pieces of a cracker. Chew one piece without any water or drink, and notice how it tastes. Then, take a sip of water, chew the second piece, and notice if it tastes different. Discuss why saliva (or water) helps you taste the cracker better.
Saliva and Digestion Activity: With the help of an adult, take a small piece of bread and chew it slowly for about a minute without swallowing. Notice how the taste changes from starchy to slightly sweet. This is because the enzymes in your saliva are starting to break down the bread into sugars. Talk about how this is the first step in digestion!
Observation Challenge: Throughout the day, pay attention to when you notice your mouth watering. Is it when you smell something delicious or when you’re about to eat? Share your observations with a friend or family member and discuss why you think saliva starts flowing at those times.
