You would also experience difficulty digesting and swallowing food. This is because salivary enzymes and mucins digest food and aid in swallowing, respectively. Saliva also has antimicrobial and antifungal properties. There are scientists, called sialochemists, who actually study saliva. Whole saliva may contain epithelial cheek cells and fluid from anywhere along the gastrointestinal tract or respiratory-nasal passages.
Pure saliva is produced mainly by the parotid, sublingual and submandibular glands.
Some salivary glands also secrete blood group antigens that have been used to identify criminals. The parotid gland is located in front of the ears. The sublingual gland is found below the tongue and the submandibular gland is positioned behind the chin. The submandibular gland can occasionally cause an embarrassing stream of saliva to shoot from the mouth during a wide yawn or lively conversation. Saliva is produced in cycles.