Stimuli causing salivary secretion

Question 1

What gland secretes the most when stimulated?

Answer 1

Parotid

Question 2

Saliva from which gland has the most amylase?

Answer 2

Parotid

Question 3

What nerves innervate the salivary glands?

Answer 3

Sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves.

Question 4

What role does saliva have in taste perception?

Answer 4

• Food components need to be dissolved in saliva to reach taste buds
• Low salivary NaCl allows perception of NaCl
• Low buffer allows perception of acid
• Saliva has a trophic influence on taste buds

Question 5

What are the stimuli that may cause salivary secretion?

Answer 5

• Masticatory
• Gustatory
• Olfactory
• Psychic
• Movement
• Thermoreceptive
• Nociceptive
• Combinations of all of these

Question 6

How does the masticatory saliva reflex work?

Answer 6

Salivary glands will produce saliva when these nerves are stimulated electrically.

Question 7

What is the role of intra-oral mechanoreceptors?

Answer 7

• Output of saliva is directly proportional to masticatory forces implies Ruffini endings in the periodontal ligament
• Empty clenches provides no flow
• Edentulous patients still have a masticatory reflex

Question 8

What is the gustatory-salivary reflex?

Answer 8

Stimuli delivered to gustatory receptor in taste buds.

Taste buds rapidly adapt to taste components.

Question 9

What is the location of taste buds?

Answer 9

Fungiform papillae appear red due to their high blood supply. There are not taste buds here.

Circumvallate and foliate papillae have lots of crypts contains taste buds.

Question 10

What are the 5 main basic tastes?

Answer 10

Sour, umami, salt, bitter and sweet.

Question 11

What thing in the mouth is the most important in salivary secretion?

Answer 11

Acidity, lots of receptors to pick up acids.

Question 12

What is the olfactory salivary reflex?

Answer 12

2 routes - orthonasal or reteonasal.
Most of the smell from food goes up the back of the throat through the nasal cavity.

The smell is what triggers saliva to flow.

Question 13

Explain the mechanism of salivary flow rate

Answer 13

Salivary centres in the cortex and they provide a stimuli that maintains the resting salivary flow rate.
This is because when sleeping we have no flow.

When eating food, these stimuli increase the neuronal stimulation of the salivary glands.

Question 14

What gland responds the most to smell?

Answer 14

Submandibular