After being nominated in 1932, the crusty 32nd vice president of the United States John Nance Carter said, “the Vice Presidency isn’t worth a pitcher of warm spit.”
It’s certainly an amusing comparison most vice presidents would agree with, but it may not be the best one. Due to medical advances in the past 60 years, we have discovered that a pitcher of spit is actually pretty valuable.
The Innovation of Saliva Testing
Spit, or saliva has long been used as an indicator of a person’s health. Ancient Chinese doctors nearly 2000 years ago were one of the first to discover the link between saliva and blood, and as early as 1836 in England, doctors used saliva to test for bronchitis. (1) (2) Recent advances in diagnostic testing have allowed us to go much further. Through saliva testing, we are now able to detect a plethora of diseases including HIV, hepatitis, rubella, and measles. (3) Drug use and stress levels are also detectable in saliva. (3)
Popular biotech companies like 23 and me can even determine a person’s ancestry makeup, facial features, and average weight by analyzing DNA in saliva. (3) In recent years, saliva testing has risen to become a preferred testing method for most medical conditions.
The Protective Mechanism of Saliva against Acid Reflux
Saliva protects the throat by acting as a lubricant and natural buffer against acid, pepsin and other foreign material that may get inside the throat (4). Patients who have had their salivary glands removed are known to have sensitive and irritable throats. (5)
Saliva is also important for dental health. In addition, it is largely responsible for crucial tasks like the ability to articulate words, taste, chew food without it getting stuck to our teeth and mouth, and swallow without choking. (3) (6)
The Link Between Acid Reflux and Saliva
When we swallow food, our saliva clears away 90-95 percent of acid reflux that may be in our throats. (3) Subsequent swallows stimulate more saliva and clears the remaining 5-10 percent of residual acid as well as bacteria and sugars from our throats (3) (7) (8) This process is called esophageal clearance.
In fact, there is strong evidence from many studies that impairment of esophageal clearance and saliva production is a primary cause of acid reflux disease. (8) (9) For example, people with GERD often have lower salivary flow rates than the general population, and all extraesophageal GERD symptoms like cracked lips, difficulty swallowing, throat pain, vocal fatigue, and difficulty talking, overlap with symptoms of inadequate saliva flow, also called hyposalivation, xerostomia, or dry mouth. (7) (10) (11) Without adequate saliva flow, the throat dries out and esophageal tissue can be easily damaged by acid reflux. (9) (12)
People with dry mouth lack the ability to produce adequate saliva to lubricate their throats and clear away acid reflux, or clear acid very slowly. (3) People with diseases that inhibit saliva flow, like Sigren’s Syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis experience more frequent GERD symptoms. (3) (6) GERD is also more common in older people because salivary flow decreases with age.
The Makeup of Saliva
Saliva is a complex mixture of different compounds that work together to form a natural reflux barrier in the mouth and throat. (8) The main compounds that help clear acid are bicarbonate, growth factors, and histatin. Bicarbonate is largely responsible for neutralizing acid and restoring a close to neutral pH in the esophagus. (3) (13)
Secondary compounds like Pgs growth factors and epidermal growth factor (EGF) heal the esophagus and maintain its health. (5) (6) (14) Furthermore, histatin promotes wound closure, cell spreading, and migration. There are many other components in saliva like calcium, enzymes, antibodies, and antimicrobial agents that keep the vocal tract healthy.
Three glands in our faces produce 90% of our saliva: a set of parotid glands located next to our ears, a set of submandibular glands under our tongue, and a set of sublingual salivary glands, located also under the tongue. 600-1000 salivary glands located on the lips, tongue, hard and soft palates, inner cheeks, and pharynx produced the remaining 10% of our saliva (15)
6 Natural ways to Stimulate more Saliva
If you frequently suffer from dry mouth, bad breath, sore throat, hoarseness of voice, or difficulty swallowing, your GERD/LPR symptoms may be related to insufficient saliva production. Here are 6 things you can do to stimulate more saliva and naturally boost your defenses against GERD/LPR.
1. Chew some gum.
The easiest way to get some saliva flowing is to chew gum. Several studies have found that chewing gum for half an hour after a meal stimulates saliva which can clear acid reflux from the esophagus. (5)
My favorite chewing gum for acid reflux is Greek Chios mastic gum. It’s 100% natural, refreshing, and in my experience, stimulates the most saliva compared to most supermarket brands.
I chew mastic gum every day and keep a bag of it around in case I get an acid reflux attack. About 100 pieces come in a box which for me, lasts several months. Greek Chios mastic gum tends to be a bit harder than store bought gum, but most pieces are fairly soft and supple once you warm them up under your tongue. You usually get a lot of rock-hard pieces in a box as well. I usually pour some hot water over the hard pieces and that softens them up enough for me.
Most mastic gum products on the market come in capsule form so make sure you get the chewing kind. Powdered mastic gum may aid digestion but won’t do much good for saliva stimulation.
Mastic gum is covered with white sand due to how it’s harvested so make sure to rinse it with water before consuming.
2. Eat more fiber-rich foods.
Incorporating solid fiber-rich foods into your diet is a great long-term way to maintain salivary flow and reduce acid reflux. Solid fiber-rich foods require more chewing which naturally stimulates the organic and inorganic components of saliva that promote healing and protection of the esophagus. (5)
Soft foods, on the other hand, can cause a lack of saliva production because of the lack of chewing/mastication. (3) When you stop chewing solid foods over a long period of time, your salivary glands can atrophy and shrink in size. (3)
Good sources of fiber include beans, lentils, grains, potatoes, oatmeal, nuts, and broccoli. You should gradually increase your intake of fiber to prevent gas, bloating, and constipation. Give your body time to adjust to higher levels of fiber.
3. Stay Hydrated.
Dehydration is a common cause of dry mouth and can inhibit saliva production, so make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. The World Health Organization and U.S. Institute of Medicine recommends 8-11 cups of water a day for women and 10-15 cups a day for men (16).
Also, make sure to swallow 1-3 times after your initial sip of water to activate esophageal clearance and lubricate the throat.
4. My Saliva Hack.
Here’s a little trick I use when my mouth is feeling dry and I don’t have any gum or water around. First, move your tongue side to side across your front teeth and then suck your cheeks in. Next, press your tongue against the roof of your mouth with the tip of your tongue on the edge of your hard palate. Now suck your tongue to the roof of your mouth and swallow.
Your teeth should meet when you do this and you should feel some suction towards the back of your tongue. This should temporarily stimulate some saliva in your mouth to lubricate your throat if you are stuck in a jam without gum or water.
5. Limit your alcohol intake.
This may be hard if you love your beer but the truth is drinking alcohol increases your chances of acid reflux. (3) Alcohol beverages especially those with an alcoholic content greater than 15%, irritates and inflames the stomach lining and in some cases can cause indigestion.
Alcohol also relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter and dehydrates you by preventing your kidneys from conserving water. An intake of about 4 alcoholic drinks can cause you to lose up to a quart of water over several hours. (17)
John Mayer, the famous platinum recording artist, and blues-pop performer reportedly experienced severe vocal damage from a habit of drinking scotch and vocal overuse that rendered him unable to speak for a year (18)
Total abstention from alcohol may be the best way to go if you want to avoid GERD/LPR symptoms.
6. Avoid smoking tobacco and/or other recreational drugs
Long-term smoking dries out the mouth and decreases salivary flow, which as mentioned before, is crucial for acid reflux defense. (3) Long-term smoking can also lead to dental and oral disorders such as gingivitis, loose teeth, calculus, and bad breath. (19)
Hyposalivation or dry mouth is common in elderly people as the ability to produce adequate levels of saliva diminishes with age. (12) Certain drugs like PPIs can also cause hyposalivation in some people. (3) (11), Emotional stress can also reduce salivary flow. (6)
Summing it up
- Saliva is crucial. It gives us the ability to articulate words, swallow without choking, taste, and chew food without it getting stuck to our mouth and teeth.
- One of the main jobs of saliva is to act as a lubricant for the throat and buffer against acid reflux and pepsin.
- The main compounds that are responsible for neutralizing acid reflux and healing the esophagus are bicarbonate, growth factors, and histatin.
- Stimulating more saliva is an excellent way to defend against acid reflux. Some natural ways to stimulate saliva are chewing gum, incorporating more fiber-rich foods into your diet, staying hydrated, and abstaining from smoking and alcohol.
- Dry mouth can can be an indication of a more serious disease. You should consult with your doctor or dentist if you have prolonged and unexplainable oral dryness.
*This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure here.
Original article and pictures take www.gerdwise.com site
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