310 - Saliva Is a Critical but Underestimated Bodily FluidMedscape Dr Melanie Salz, May 07, 2025
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/saliva-critical-underestimated-bodily-fluid-2025a1000b06?ecd=wnl_edit_tpal_etid7410044&uac=305958HN&impID=7410044The parasympathetic system stimulates the secretion of electrolytes and water via acetylcholine, while the sympathetic system regulates the release of salivary proteins through norepinephrine. External stimuli — such as smell, taste, and mastication — further influence both the volume and composition of saliva. For example, stimulated saliva contains significantly more bicarbonate but fewer proteins compared to resting saliva. Additional factors such as sex, age, time of day, medication use, and general health also affect salivary output and composition.
MUCOSAL HEALTH: In addition to hydration, saliva contains cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors that promote wound healing — often more rapidly than on skin. Among these, histatins are especially effective in accelerating tissue repair. Saliva also plays a crucial role in innate immune defense. It contains a broad range of antimicrobial proteins and peptides — including myeloperoxidase, lysozyme, lactoferrin, and others — produced by salivary glands, oral epithelial cells, and immune cells, all of which contribute to protection against infection.
ORAL HEALTH: Bicarbonate and phosphate ions help buffer oral pH, maintaining a range between 6.8 and 7.8. Salivary proteins bind calcium and phosphate, forming a supersaturated solution that supports the dynamic balance of enamel demineralization and remineralization — critical processes for caries prevention. Saliva also rapidly forms a thin protein-rich layer on tooth surfaces known as the acquired pellicle. This layer protects enamel against calcium loss, mechanical abrasion, and erosion.
DIAGNOSTIC BIOMARKERS: Compared with blood sampling, saliva collection offers clear advantages: it is easier, less invasive, and more cost-effective. Saliva contains a wide range of biologically active substances — including enzymes, hormones, antibodies, cytokines, and DNA/RNA fragments — that can reflect both local and systemic physiological processes
GLUCOSE LEVELS: In patients with diabetes mellitus, saliva can reveal metabolic changes, including glucose fluctuations, elevated HbA1c levels, and markers of oxidative stress. Research has additionally identified alterations in lipid levels, melatonin, and total protein in the saliva of diabetic patients.
CORTISOL & STRESS MARKERS: Psychiatric conditions such as anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and depression are also associated with measurable changes in salivary composition. Cortisol, a key biomarker of chronic stress, is frequently elevated in these populations. Altered levels of other markers, such as alpha-amylase and lysozyme, have also been detected in individuals with anxiety.
EARLY CANCER DETECTION: Saliva has also shown promise in the early detection of malignancies, including both head and neck tumors and systemic cancers such as pancreatic and breast cancer. Tumor-associated biomarkers — such as specific antibodies, antigens, and gene mutations — can be identified in salivary samples. One molecule of particular interest is sialic acid, which is elevated in patients with certain cancers. In a recent study, Elgendi and colleagues presented a portable device capable of quantifying salivary sialic acid, yielding promising results for early breast cancer detection.
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Seventh-day Adventist Carey Reams developed a system of analysis called RBTI or Reams Biological Theory of Ionization which he said the Lord showed to him in a week of locked in laboratory development. He was able to help a young boy of 5 years of seizures right out of the lab. His analysis method, RBTI, is based on saliva and urine. I think there is a lot that can be learned in further research of saliva as a tool of early detection of disease.
