By now you’ve probably heard me talk about the importance of remineralizing teeth. But what you may not know is how important saliva is to this process. First of all, what is saliva actually and what does it do?
The smell of your favorite food, accidentally biting your tongue or eating something can trigger saliva production. But saliva is more than just the wetness in our mouths. Although it’s mostly water, saliva is (or at least it should be) full of important minerals and proteins!
Your doctor may use a saliva test to test for candida levels, stress-induced cortisol levels, and other health indicators. One of the most important functions of saliva is to keep your mouth healthy and your enamel strong.
How Saliva Helps Your Oral Health
Simply put, saliva is how your teeth remineralize!
In effect, when saliva washes the teeth, they remineralize. Without adequate nutritional levels, saliva lacks the minerals teeth need to maintain optimal strength. We need enough nutrition to have the necessary minerals in our saliva to support remineralization.
The importance of sufficient saliva to prevent cavities is well known. There are several theories about the origin of cavities.
- Spoilage occurs due to acids from bacteria digesting sugars in the mouth. or
- Cavities occur when there is an imbalance between demineralization of the enamel surface and remineralization produced by the return of mineral ions to the enamel (as Rami Nagel explains in his book, cavity treatment)
Whichever theory is correct, saliva is important. Frequent stimulation of saliva, especially after consuming sugar, helps dilute and buffer plaque acids. This brings additional mineral ions into the plaque fluid and promotes remineralization.
Saliva does more than keep your mouth moist. It helps normalize pH levels, fights harmful bacteria with its antibacterial properties, and cleanses gums. Understanding and supporting the role of saliva can naturally improve your oral health. Prioritizing hydration, stress management, and healthy eating are all important for healthy saliva.
Saliva fights bad bacteria
Studies have shown a clear link between decreased saliva production as we age and an increased risk of gum disease. Saliva contains many substances essential to our immune system.
For example, lactoferrin is one of the compounds found naturally in saliva. Lactoferrin is part of our innate immune system and one of our main lines of defense. These compounds bind iron in the mouth, depriving gum-damaging bacteria of the iron they need to thrive.
Saliva is also a rich source of necessary enzymes. Among the salivary enzymes involved in maintaining the ecology of the mouth, one of the first to be recognized was lysozyme. The lysozyme enzyme appears to destabilize the cell walls of bacteria, leading to cavities and gum disease.
Saliva restores healthy mouth pH
The mouth has a complex ecology that must be maintained in balance for optimal oral health. This includes maintaining a bacterial environment, sufficient mineral content, and proper pH. The best way to maintain a healthy oral pH is to support your immune system with a nutritious diet, adequate sleep, and reduced stress, but saliva also plays an important role.
Factors that affect the amount of saliva we have
Saliva is actually key to the recalcification process, which can reverse early cavities. But like many natural processes, it is not immune to disruption. Factors such as allergies, mouth breathing, certain foods, and even stress can affect the amount and quality of saliva we produce.
Certain medications and lifestyle factors can negatively affect the function of the salivary glands.
Hormones are another piece of the puzzle. When the thyroid gland is not functioning properly, the oral pH can become more acidic, increasing the risk of cavities. On the other hand, increased estrogen can also lead to cavities and gum problems. Our mouth, gums, and salivary glands have estrogen receptors. During menopause, when estrogen levels drop, women may experience dry mouth due to decreased saliva production.
Stress is another factor that plays a role in reducing saliva flow. When you are stressed, blood flows to your digestive system, teeth and salivary glands deteriorate.
How to Increase Saliva Production
The “use it or lose it” principle applies to saliva production. It is important to exercise the ability to produce saliva or treat dry mouth and all the diseases that come with it.
We naturally produce more saliva when we eat, but saliva is busy promoting digestion while we eat. Therefore, using other methods may help promote saliva flow. One way to do this is ‘swashing’. It may sound gross at first, but it really helps!
swashing
Step 1: Collect the saliva from your mouth into a pool on your tongue. Now use your throat muscles to pull the saliva back and forth from the back of your tongue to just behind your front teeth and then back again several times. Between 30 and 50 times is ideal. The more you practice, the more saliva your glands produce.
Step 2: Once you have a large pool of saliva on your tongue, rinse it over your teeth and gums. This is like gargling and washing at the same time, so stirring with saliva is called “swashing.” Rinse the excess saliva for 1-2 minutes and then swallow to help the saliva aid better digestion in your stomach!
It’s a technique so simple that even young children can do it. This video explains it in more detail.
Switch to natural toothpaste
Using natural toothpaste may also help stimulate saliva production. I found that this made me salivate more. Remineralizing ToothpasteI also use OraWellness Brushing Blend. A good toothpaste provides your enamel with the minerals it needs and makes your mouth healthier.
Oil pulling and herbal remedies
If you can’t “swear” yet, oil pulling is another great way to increase saliva. Swirling the oil in your mouth may also reduce plaque and benefit your mouth microbiome. I use coconut oil, but sesame oil is another traditional choice. The oil pulling method is as follows:
Another strange way to increase saliva is to use the herb sialagogue. This is a fancy term that simply means increasing saliva. Herbs such as spirantes stimulate the salivary glands to release more fluid, which may be helpful for people with chronic dry mouth. Spilanthes tincture Alternatively, the tea may help stimulate saliva production and is generally considered safe. But a word of warning: start small, because it might work. very well!
Final Thoughts on Saliva
Saliva may not be my favorite thing to think about, but it certainly plays an important role in our mouths and overall health. Although factors such as hormones or stress can cause a decrease in saliva, it is possible to promote healthy saliva flow with focused effort.
Have you used any of these methods before to stimulate saliva flow? What was good for you? Let us know by leaving a comment!
