When someone lets out a shout, sometimes they are prone to spout out a little saliva.
It’s kind of gross, really.
We’ve all seen it happen before. That moist bit of slobber dripping in slow motion from the lip to the chin.
It can happen while someone is talking, or singing. Or as I mentioned, hollering their fool heads off. It is most common in that scenario.
They always react quickly, brushing a hand across their mouths in hopes that no one is watching. The saliva drip is always followed by a sheepish smile. It seems to be a given.
I call the active ones “sputtles.”
And the drippy kind, “droozles.”
Most of us probably never think about our spit. Our saliva.
But it is always an important part of us. And generally, we have a lot. On average, we humans produce around one to two liters of saliva each day. Sometimes more. Most of it is produced by three major salivary glands: the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands.
One of the aspects is that saliva contains an enzyme called amylase that begins breaking down carbohydrates into simpler sugars while still in the mouth. So, it helps us digest our food.
And then, saliva acts as a natural cleanser for our mouths, washing away food particles and bacteria.
It neutralizes acids from food and bacteria, protecting teeth from decay.
It promotes the healing of wounds in the mouth due to its antimicrobial and clot-promoting components.
What a multi-tasker our spit can be!
Yet, the thing I like most about saliva is that it dissolves food particles, allowing taste buds to detect flavors. Without saliva, we wouldn’t be able to taste what we taste.
Not to mention, we need it to make spitballs. And to slick our hair back. Or to straighten a wooly eyebrow.
So.
Spit away, my friends. Spit away.
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“Spit in one hand and wish in the other, and see which fills up faster.”
– Common Folk Saying
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“He who spits against the wind spits in his own face.”
– Chinese Proverb
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“In the absence of water, even saliva can quench thirst.”
– African Proverb
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The big spit-tooey. Bigger than you think.
