saliva

Bacteria from the plaque on teeth produce acid following the consumption of fermentable carbohydrates (mainly sugars and starches), from food and drink. Plaque acid from the mouth can cause the minerals from the tooth’s enamel to be dissolved (demineralisation) causing initial lesions (white spots) which can lead to dental caries.

Saliva has many functions such as:

• Lubrication - facilitating chewing, swallowing and speech
• Cleansing - washing away food debris from the mouth and teeth
• Buffering - neutralizes acid production by plaque bacteria
• Digestive - begins the breakdown of carbohydrate
• Remineralization - helps repair the early stages of tooth decay
• Protection - protects against infection

A severe absence of saliva from the mouth (dry mouth/xerostomia) can cause:

• difficulty from eating dry foods
• pain or uncomfortable swallowing
• general mouth discomfort
• poor taste
• denture problems
• increased risk of tooth decay
• mouth and salivary gland infections
• speech difficulties

Stimulated saliva is saturated using bicarbonate buffers, which raise the pH of the saliva, effectively neutralizing and buffering food acids and acids arising from plaque from the fermentation of carbohydrate by bacteria. Stimulated saliva also contains a higher concentration of remineralizing ions and is therefore more effective at remineralizing damaged enamel crystals.

Chewing sugarfree gum stimulates the production of saliva, which helps balance pH from the mouth after eating and drinking and is low from calories. Cheese and peanuts consumed after sugar intakes also show a reversal of the plaque pH fall – however, an increase from eating these foods could lead to an unacceptably increase from dietary fat.