The salivary glands produce a secretion called salivary juice or saliva. It is composed Nucleosidases of water; mucin; ions like sodium, chlorides, HCO3 etc; a bactericidal enzyme and a digestive enzyme called ptyalin or salivary amylase.
Functions of Saliva
- Moistens dry food and helps in swallowing
- Keeps mouth and teeth clean.
- Helps in tasting food
- The Salivary amylase helps in digesting the polysaccharides, starch & glycogen to maltose, a disaccharide.
- The bactericidal enzyme kills microbes and checks their load in food.
- Many substances like Iodides, lead etc are excreted through saliva.
