❓ why
Why does your mouth water when you smell food?
human bodyfood
Quick Answer
The smell of food triggers a reflex that prepares your digestive system, starting with saliva production.
The Full Story
Smelling, seeing or even thinking about food activates the 'cephalic phase' of digestion, controlled by the brain. Nerves signal the salivary glands to release saliva, which moistens food and contains the enzyme amylase to begin breaking down starch. Ivan Pavlov famously showed that dogs could learn to salivate at a sound linked with food. Humans produce roughly 0.5–1.5 litres of saliva a day.
Key Facts
1.Ivan Pavlov won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1904 for his work on digestion.
2.There are three major pairs of salivary glands.
3.Saliva also helps protect teeth from decay.
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Why Your Mouth Waters — Pavlov's Discovery"