Von Ebner Glands and Their Function

Whenever saliva is discussed about, educated people tend to consider this fluid as the naturally occurring solution which helps in tasting, digesting, protecting tooth enamel and speaking. However, most of us do not know that there are a number of salivary glands present in the mouth as well. Having that said, there is a type of salivary glands which help in enjoying the foods we have. It’s mostly referred to as Von Ebner Glands.

What are Von Ebner Glands?

Let’s start with the saliva. It is the natural solution which helps in maintaining oral health in a way nothing else can. Apart from lubricating the mouth by keeping it wet, saliva helps in food’s digestion. The functions saliva performs are usually due to different salivary glands which are distributed in different areas of the mouth. These glands are present in cheeks, lips, floor of the mouth, tongue, palate and pharynx.

When we talk about Von Ebner Glands, these salivary glands are present in the tongue’s area from where the back of the tongue starts. There are several functions these glands carry out but one important function is the release of amylase, an enzyme which helps in the food’s digestion. Another unique function of these glands is that they help in aiding taste.

When we talk about the taste, it’s mainly the taste buds we talk about. These taste buds reside in the spongy bumps on the tongue. These bumps are known as papillae which are divided into four types, i.e. filiform, fungiform, foliate and circumvallate. Von Ebner Glands are located near foliate and circumvallate. These glands release the enzyme which washes away the food particles. This solution sends flavor to the taste receptors and gustatory which is the portion responsible to send taste signals to the brain.

Loss of saliva or tongue papillae can result in the lack of taste. The major reason is that the flow of liquid in the oral cavity is the main factor which acts as transportation of taste signals to the receptors. When there is no flow, the receptors are not going to receive the signals they should get. Hence, we can conclude that dry mouth is the biggest issue which can result in the lack of taste. Therefore, you need to make sure that you work on every kind of preventive measures in order to keep your mouth ideally moist.

Furthermore, visiting the dentist every now and then is quite essential because it doesn’t only help you in maintaining your oral health but also overall health.