From spit pacts to spit takes, saliva often gets a bad rap for being another bodily fluid we’d rather ignore. Spit, however, plays an important role in oral health and our everyday lives. The fact that people produce approximately two bathtubs of the stuff annually should provide convincing evidence that slobber serves a purpose. Here are five salivating facts that may just make you drool with appreciation.

#1: Saliva Makes Food Taste Better

If you’ve ever basked in the joy of savoring a mouthwatering feast, you can thank saliva for the flavors dancing across your taste buds. Spit is the first step in the digestion process. It breaks down food molecules releasing the flavors. It also helps lubricate the food allowing the diner to swallow (and taste!) it.

#2: Spit is a Natural Painkiller

Forget your average ibuprofen, saliva is more powerful than morphine—six times more powerful when tested in rats. The compound, opiorphin, is produced in the body. This natural pain killer could potentially help alleviate the issues associated with synthetic alternatives, such as addiction and increased tolerance over time. Opiorphin is the first substance inside the human body that extends the body’s self-defense mechanism against pain. Additionally, the phrase “lick your wounds” has some truth to it. Wounds in the mouth heal faster than those elsewhere on the body thanks to saliva.

#3: Saliva Production Isn’t Consistent   

Imagine how bad we’d all drool in our sleep if we kept producing spit after we hit the sack. Thankfully, the body knows to slow things down after dark. The pitfall? Bad bacteria builds causing unpleasant morning breath. Once we begin slobbering again in the AM, however, our spit helps counteract the acid buildup that causes tooth decay. Saliva production also slows when we experience stress, nervousness or fear. Slobber is at an all-time high during the late afternoon.

#4: Spit: The Ancient Polygraph

According to  an article on the Mental Floss website, in Ancient India, people accused of lying were told to chew rice. The innocent had enough saliva to spit the rice back out; the guilty, however, were plagued with a dry mouth that caused the rice to stick to their throats, thus outing them as fibbers.

#5: Saliva Keeps the Dentist at Bay

While saliva is 99 percent water, the calcium, fluoride and phosphate in drool strengthens teeth, protecting them against cavity-causing bacteria. Chewing can help replenish saliva supply. This is why sugar-free chewing gum is often a dentist-approved treat. Spit also prevents plaque buildup and shields enamel from acidic foods. It’s not a replacement for biannual trips to the dentist, but saliva is a great defender against everyday assaults against oral health.

Still salivating with dental questions? Your dentist is the best person to deliver the latest and best information about your specific needs, as well as determine what procedures to schedule right away.