BUFFALO, N.Y. ­­ ­ ­­— Saliva is a bodily fluid most of us take for granted despite the significant roles it plays: aiding in digestion, maintaining strong teeth and defending against oral disease.

A better understanding of the role of pH in the oral cavity is the driving concept behind new oral health products arriving on the market. BasicBites, a sugar-free chew that mimics saliva's natural ...

At first glance, saliva seems like pretty boring stuff, merely a convenient way to moisten our food. But the reality is quite different, as scientists are beginning to understand. The fluid interacts ...

Saliva impacts how different foods taste. Silke Woweries via Getty Images At first glance, saliva seems like pretty boring stuff, merely a convenient way to moisten our food. But the reality is quite ...

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- In the TV series, "How It's Made," viewers often discover that common objects like pencils or rubber bands are quite complicated to make. The show walks people through complex ...

Most of us are awash in saliva: we produce and swallow about a liter of it each day, totaling more than 20,000 L in a lifetime. This substance plays many roles in our everyday lives. It enables us to ...

Saliva that is properly pH balanced (6.2 to 7.6) helps maintain a healthy mouth and protect your teeth. The acronym pH stands for potential hydrogen. It’s used to describe the chemical acidity level ...

The mouth starts the digestion process by breaking food down into a more easily digestible form. It does this through a combination of mechanical and chemical digestion. After people take food in ...