SALIVA

DR NASRIN HABIB
MBBS,MPHIL(PHYSIOLOGY)

Saliva
Saliva is a viscous, colourless,oplacent fluid
which is secreted by three pairs of salivary
glands----the parotid,submandibular and
sublingual glands. There are also many small
buccal glands from which salivation occurs.
Characters:
800-1500ml/day or1500ml/day.
Slighlitly acidic.PH:6-7
Specific gravity:1.002-1.012

Composition
Water:99.5% Solid:0.5%
Organic-O.3%
Enzyme:ptyline(salivary alpha-amylase),lingual lipse,corbonic
anhydrase phosphatase,lysozymes
Other organics:Mucin,urea,cholesterol,amino acid.
Blood group subtances:Antigen of ABO blood group.
Inorganic(0.2%) NACL,KCL,acid and alkaline sodium
phosphate,calcium phosphate,CaCO3,KHC03 etc.

Cellular Constituents: Yeast cell,bacteria,protozoa etc.

Gases:02,N2,C02.

Function

Mechanical function:
keeps the mouth moist helps in speech.
Facilitates swallowing.
Helps in preparing food staffs into a bolus,
suitable for digestion.
Dilutes hot and irritant food,thus prevents injury
to the mucosa
Acts as a lubricant.
Washes down the food debris thereby prevent
bacterial growth.

Function
Helps in taste by dissolving food stuff.
Digestive function: It breaks down boiled starch into maltose in
presence of ptylin.Starch-Ptylin----Erythrodextrin---Achrodextrin----Maltose.
Excretory function: It excretes urea, some heavy
metals,thyocyanates,I2, penicillin.
Saliva helps in water balance: Saliva keeps the mouth moist, when
moisture is reduced in the mouth, certain nerve ending at back of
the tongue are stimulated the desire of thirst arises. The subject
then take water thus water valance is maintained
Buffering function: due to presence of HCO3 and PO4 in saliva, it
acts as buffer-NaHCO3,H2CO3 and Na2HPO4,NaH2PO4.
Bacteriolytic function: Cell membrane of bacteria contains
polysaccharides,lysosome.The enzyme present in the saliva is a
polysaccharide,thus it dissolves the cell membranes of many
bacteria and finally kills them.

Salivary Glands
3 pairs secrete into oral cavity
Each pair has distinctive cellular organization:
and produces saliva with different properties
Produce 1.01.5 liters of saliva each day:
submandibular gland:

70% by submandibular glands. Secrete both serous

and mucous type. The gland opens upon the floor of
the mouth on the side of the frenulum of the tongue,
by duct of Wharton's duct.

Salivary gland.
Parotid gland
25% by parotids glands. Secrete mainly serous type,
containing ptyelin.The gland opens upon the inner
surface of the check, opposite the second upper
molar teeth, by duct of Stensen.
Sublingual gland
5% by sublingual glands-secrete both the serous and
mucous types. The gland open by several fine
ducts, floor of the mouth on the frenulum of the
tongue by duct of Rivinus.
There are small accessory buccal glands scattered
throughout the mucous membrane and secrete
only mucous.

Salivary gland

Salivary glands
Nerve supply - Salivary glands are under the control of the
autonomic nervous system-and receive efferent nerve fibers
from both parasympathetic and sympathetic divisions(7th&9th
cranial nerves)
Regulation of secretion1.Unconditional reflex-this is present since birth and is inborn
(when any substance is put in the mouth)
2.Conditional reflex- That is by the sight, smell, hearing or
thought of food. (Acquired-learnt after birth)

 Taste Reflexes Integrated in the Brain Stem.

Tractus solitarius &
salivation

From the tractus

solitarius, many taste
signals are
transmitted within the
brain stem itself
directly into
the superior and
VII, IX & X cranial
inferior salivatory
nerves represent
nuclei, and
parasympathetic
division of ANS.
these areas transmit
Secretomotor
signals to the
functions.
submandibular,
sublingual, and
parotid glands
Parasympathetic nervous
to help control the
secretion of saliva salivary secretion.

regulation of

Mechanism of saliva secretion

1)Neural control:
Parasympathetic stimulation: superior and
inferior salivatory nuclei-causes-vasodilatation-occurs and copious saliva
secretion. Atropine and cholinergic blocking
agents reduce secretion. Acetylcholine
increase secretion.
Sympathetic stimulation: superior cervical
ganglioncauses vasoconstriction--moderate amount of salivation.

Mechanism..
2)Reflex:
Conditioned reflex: Here salivation occurs in presence of food
such as sight, vision and smell of food stimulate saliva
secretion reflexly although no food is actually given in mouth.
Unconditioned or inborn reflex: when food is actually given to
the mouth then the secretion of salivary gland occurs by
unconditioned reflex.
Salivation also occur in response to reflexes originating in the
stomach and upper intestines-particularly when very
irritating foods are swallowed or when a person is nauseated
because of some gastrointestinal abnormality. When a
person smells or eats favourite food ,salivation is greater than
when disliked food is smelled or eaten.

Mechanism of saliva

LEARING OUTCOME
1. Describe the mechanism for secretion of
saliva .
2.Explain the functions of each constituent of
the saliva.
3. State the functions of saliva.