title: Saliva in health and disease: an appraisal and update.
abstract: Saliva plays an important role in oral health monitoring, regulating and maintaining the integrity of the oral hard tissues and some soft tissues. This paper reviews the role of saliva, the prevalence of oral dryness and the consequent importance of salivary flow as well as the relationship between xerostomia and salivary gland hypofunction amongst the causes of oral dryness. Other aspects of oral conditions associated with saliva are also reviewed including Sjögren's Syndrome and oesophageal function. Finally, knowledge, and the current use of salivary tests and the utilisation of saliva as a diagnostic fluid are surveyed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology and Pathology, School of Dental Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook 11794-8702, USA.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Sreebny
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D012636:Secretory Rate; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*