Ptyalin, another salivary enzyme, is produced mainly by the parotid gland. It breaks down bread, pasta, popcorn and other starch- containing foods into smaller sugar molecules. Ptyalin is inactivated by stomach acid. If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then the mouth is the door to the body. Saliva is analogous to the doorman.
Saliva contains secretory IgA and lactoferrin, which check bacterial growth.
Lysozyme is a protein found in saliva that kills bacteria and Candida albicans , an oral fungus. Approximately 15 percent of one study group experienced chronically low salivary flow rates. Diabetes, high blood pressure and some medications can impair salivary function. Patients with head or neck cancers may experience dry mouth caused by chemotherapy and radiation treatments. These procedures shrink salivary glands.