{"id":4762,"date":"2019-03-27T13:26:40","date_gmt":"2019-03-27T20:26:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carolinacompletedental.com\/?p=4762"},"modified":"2019-03-27T13:26:40","modified_gmt":"2019-03-27T20:26:40","slug":"whats-lurking-in-your-saliva","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carolinacompletedental.com\/blog\/whats-lurking-in-your-saliva\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s Lurking in Your Saliva?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Saliva. Just the word can conjure an array of images in your imagination. From salivating at a delicious meal to studying Pavlov\u2019s dogs to watching a baseball player spit, life is full of saliva! And that\u2019s a good thing because saliva is very important for oral and overall health. Problems with saliva can lead to dry mouth, cavities<\/a>, and bad breath. Read more below from the Goose Creek dentists of Carolina Complete Dental<\/a> to learn more about your saliva.<\/p>\n

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Composition of Saliva<\/h3>\n

Saliva is 98% water. It also contains electrolytes, mucus, enzymes, hormones, and antibodies. Saliva travels to all parts of your mouth via \u201csaliva ducts.\u201d Saliva is made in your salivary glands and the contents come from your blood. Ancient doctors believed saliva and blood were \u201cbrothers\u201d when it comes to a person\u2019s wellness.<\/p>\n

Because saliva is so similar to blood, research is growing on how to use saliva samples to test for diseases. Saliva samples are already used to test for HIV, but studies are finding you can also detect breast cancer, oral cancer, gum disease<\/a>, and viral hepatitis in your saliva! Saliva samples can also help doctors understand a person\u2019s immune system.<\/p>\n

Functions of Saliva<\/h3>\n

Your saliva is hugely important for hygiene, digestion, wellness, and more. Some functions of saliva include:<\/p>\n