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.
