Hello, my name is Dr. Kenneth Hovden, and I want to welcome you to my Daly City dental blog. My dental practice, Kenneth Hovden DDS, wants to help our patients be knowledgeable about oral health issues.
Today we are going to discuss the complexity and importance of your saliva. This typically yucky substance is, in reality, a finely-balanced body fluid that not only maintains dental health but also aids in digestion of your food. So, without further adieu, here are the main components of saliva.
1. Water. No surprise here! Your saliva consists mostly of water.
2. Enzymes. Enzymes are vital biological catalysts that speed chemical reactions. The enzymes in saliva begin the process of digestion.
3. Immunoproteins. These are powerful cells that fight cellular invaders, such as bacteria. Those in saliva inhibit the overgrowth of microbes in the mouth. This is essential to avoiding gingivitis and keeping a healthy pH balance in the mouth.
4. Minerals. Saliva minerals assist in maintaining the protective enamel surface of the teeth.
Most dental patients produce enough saliva, but some suffer from dry mouth, which is a lack of saliva. This can be detrimental to your dental health, so be sure to speak with your dentist if you are experiencing this.
If you are in the San Mateo, Pacifica, or Half Moon Bay area and are in search of quality dental care, please call my office today at 650-755-6000. Our professional staff would be happy to talk to you about our well-liked services, which include:
restorative dentistry
sleep apnea and snoring
TMJ treatment
Invisalign
Contact Kenneth Hovden DDS:
650-755-6000
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
901 Campus Dr Ste 202
Daly City, California
94015
