When we eat something we like, our mouth waters. This is actually not water but fluid secreted from

When we encounter or think about food we like, the 'watering' of the mouth is caused by the secretion of saliva from the salivary glands [3]. This fluid is not merely water; it is a complex biological fluid composed of approximately 99% water and 1% proteins, electrolytes, and enzymes like amylase [5]. Humans possess three major pairs of salivary glands—the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands—along with hundreds of minor glands distributed throughout the oral mucosa [6]. These glands are controlled by the autonomic nervous system, which triggers increased secretion during eating or in response to sensory stimuli like the smell or thought of food [4]. Saliva initiates the process of chemical digestion by breaking down starch into simpler sugars and provides lubrication for swallowing [1].

Sources

1. [2] Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: Life Processes in Animals > Beginning with the mouth cavity > p. 123
2. [3] Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: Life Processes in Animals > Beginning with the mouth cavity > p. 122
3. [4] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5052503/
4. [5] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224417300092
5. [6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542251/
6. [1] Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 9: Life Processes in Animals > Table 9.1: Action of saliva on starch > p. 124