What is the function of salivary glands?
The major function OS salivary glands is to secrete saliva.
FUNCTIONS OF SALIVA
- Lubrication: the mucus in saliva is extremely effective in
binding masticated food into a slippery bolus that usually slides
easily thought the esophagus without inflicting damage to the
mucosa. Saliva also coats the oral cavity and esophagus, and food
basically never directly touches the epithelial cells of those
- Solubilizes dry food: in order to be tasted, the molecules in
food must be solubilized.
- Oral hygiene: the oral cavity is almost constantly flushed
with saliva, which floats away food debris and keeps the mouth
clean. Flow of saliva diminishes considerably during sleep, allow
populations of bacteria to build up in the mouth - the result of
bad breath in the morning. Saliva also contains lysozyme, an enzyme
that lyses many bacteria and prevents overgrowth of oral microbial
- Initiates starch digestion: in most species, the serous acinar
cells secrete and alpha-amylase which can begin to digest dietary
starch into maltose. Amylase is not present or is present only in
very small quantities, in the saliva of carnivores or cattle.
- Provides alkaline buffering and fluid this is of great
importance in ruminants which have non-secretory forestomachs.
- Evaporative cooling: clearly of importance in dogs, which have
poorly developed sweat glands.
- Source of calcium and phosphate ions essential for normal
- Provides a medium for dissolved and suspended food materials
that chemically stimulate taste buds.
- Buffering of the contents of the oral cavity through its high
concentration of bicarbonate ion.
To produce saliva
Salivary amylase in saliva breaks down some of the food in the
More accurately, amylase breaks down starch into sugars.