Saliva – the defender of the oral cavity

It is generally accepted that saliva is of paramount importance for the maintenance of oral health. This is based on the numerous studies reporting subjective and objective functional losses that occur in persons who lack the ability to produce adequate volumes of saliva. These include dry mouth feeling (xerostomia), difficulty with swallowing food, and an increased susceptibility for opportunistic infections. The last issue points to an active protective role of saliva in maintaining oral health under normal conditions. The mild climate present in the oral cavity, i.e. an elevated temperature, a high humidity and regular supply of foodstuffs, fosters the growth of a myriad of different aerobic and anaerobic…