Saliva Content Research Articles

A Numerical Evaluation of Airborne Transmission Control through Saliva Modification

The present study explored the relationship between airborne transmission and the saliva fluid properties of a human sneeze. Specifically, we aimed to understand if altering the saliva and its relationship to droplet breakup and stability can affect its transmission characteristics. The study aimed to answer this question using computational fluid dynamics, specifically, a hybrid Eulerian–Lagrangian model with a Spalart–Allmaras, detached eddy simulation turbulence model. The effort focused on a scenario with a sneeze event within a ventilated room. The study found that for sneezes, secondary breakdown processes are important. Thicker saliva that increased the Ohnesorge number displayed a clear resistance to aerosolization due to stabilized secondary breakup, leading the bulk of the drops having high settling rates that are less likely to drive airborne transmission. For instance, the use of xanthum gum, which increased the saliva viscosity by 2000%, reduced the formation of aerosols. Additionally, another class of modifiers that reduce saliva content was studied, which was also effective in reducing airborne transmission drivers. Zingiber, which reduced the saliva content, reduced the formation of aerosols. However, when considering the overall reduction in droplet volume, saliva modifiers such as cornstarch, xanthum gum, and lozenges increased the mean droplet size by 50%, 25%, and 50%, respectively, while reducing the overall droplet volume by 71.6%, 71.2%, and 77.2%, respectively. Conversely, Zingiber reduced the mean droplet size by 50% but increased the overall droplet volume by 165.7%. Overall, for this type of respiratory event, this study provides insight into the potential for modifying saliva characteristics that may impact airborne transmission and could introduce new tools for reducing airborne pathogen transmission.

Analysis of the Association between Stunting and Saliva Potential of Hydrogen (pH) in Preschool Children

Stunting can affect dental health due to changes in saliva content. Saliva that cannot work optimally will increase the risk of dental caries. The problem in this research is the high level of caries in preschool children at the DWP V Jatirejo Kindergarten. This study aims to determine the association between stunting and the potential of hydrogen (pH) in the saliva of preschool children at DWP V Jatirejo Kindergarten, Lekok District, Pasuruan Regency. The study design was an analytic observational with a cross-sectional approach, the sample in this study was 40 students who were determined using the Slovin formula with a proportional stratified random sampling technique. The stunting variable data collection method was measuring of Height/Age using microtoise and the saliva pH variable was measured using pH meters, and the data analysis techniques used the chi-squared test. Results: There is an association between stunting and the saliva pH in preschool children at DWP V Jatirejo Kindergarten. The Height/Age measurement results to determine the stunting status of respondents were found to be dominated by short height (stunted), and the saliva pH category of respondents was dominated by the acidic category.

Analyzing the effects of aroma and texture interactions on oral processing behavior and dynamic sensory perception: A case study on cold-set emulsion-filled gels containing limonene and menthol

This study explored texture and aroma (limonene and menthol) interactions in cold-set emulsion-filled gel (EFG), focusing on mastication behavior, bolus properties, and dynamic sensory perceptions. First, the effects of various polysaccharides on the rheological, textural, and water-holding characteristics of EFGs based on whey protein isolate were examined. Seven EFGs were chosen from 23 samples based on data clustering. The type of EFG structure had a significant effect on chew duration, number of chews, saliva content, bolus particle size, and textural properties, dynamic sensory perception of texture attributes based on temporal-dominance of sensations (TDS), and aroma intensity perceptions based on time-intensity (TI) tests. The presence of aroma compounds did not clearly impact mastication parameters and bolus particle size, but slightly increased saliva content and decreased the hardness and adhesiveness of boluses. Hence, the effect of limonene was more evident than that of menthol. The oil released from the matrix of EFGs during mastication was low and unaffected by the type of EFG structure or aroma compounds. The TDS and TI results showed that texture attributes and aroma intensity perceptions were a function of EFG structure. Limonene and menthol decreased and increased the perception of firmness, respectively, and they also decreased the perception of stickiness and increased the perception of moistness, creaminess, and graininess attributes. Broadly speaking, the aromas impacted texture perception and physiological reactions, implying that studying the relationship between texture and aroma might provide new insights into sensory perception and the development of new food products.

Saliva, a molecular reflection of the human body? Implications for diagnosis and treatment.

For many diseases, and cancer in particular, early diagnosis allows a wider range of therapies and a better disease management. This has led to improvements in diagnostic procedures, most often based on tissue biopsies or blood samples. Other biological fluids have been used to diagnose disease, and among them saliva offers a number of advantages because it can be collected non-invasively from large populations at relatively low cost. To what extent might saliva content reveal the presence of a tumour located at a distance from the oral cavity and the molecular information obtained from saliva be used to establish a diagnosis are current questions. This review focuses primarily on the content of saliva and shows how it potentially offers a source of diagnosis, possibly at an early stage, for pathologies such as cancers or endometriosis.

Rheology of bolus as a wet granular matter – Influence of saliva on rheology of polysaccharide gel beads

In the present work, the rheological properties of model boli were analysed based on the granular matter physics. Polysaccharide microgels mixed with artificial saliva were prepared as model boli. The storage modulus G′ of alginate gel beads increased and then decreased with increasing content of artificial saliva. Surface of alginate gel beads prepared by dripping into calcium chloride solution were wiped to remove the moisture to mimic the oral condition of the Sjögren's syndrome. G′ decreased monotonically with increasing artificial saliva beyond a certain amount of the added saliva, which is similar to the widely observed characteristic of wet granular materials. Although the analysis is limited to a model bolus at a certain stage of oral processing mimicked by instrumentally prepared microgels of uniform size and shape, it revealed some fundamental aspects highlighting the implication of a wet granular matter as a useful concept for further understanding of the bolus rheology.

Testosterone:cortisol ratio as a predictor of podium in adolescent rowing athletes

PurposeThere is a lack of data regarding the stress and motivation response in adolescent athletes during competitions. The athletic performance can be highly influenced by stress rather than appropriate training, at this age. The aim of this investigation is to evaluate the level of stress markers in adolescent rowers in different competition settings that might alter their stress status and performance. MethodsAdolescent rowing athletes (12–18 yrs) have been tested for determining saliva content of stress biomarkers, cortisol and testosterone, before and after competitions that have been performed indoor and outdoor. Specifically, samples have been taken in the morning, before and after the race in 2 different settings: 1) an indoor rowing competition with an ergometer, 2) an outdoor rowing competition on boats. ResultsA reduction in cortisol levels has been observed in athletes right before the outdoor race, while testosterone levels increased at the same time point before either the ergometer or boat competition and kept rising at the end of the race. Significant differences have been found comparing the testosterone/cortisol ratio between indoor and outdoor data, being higher in the indoor race at all considered time-point. Furthermore, the linear regression demonstrated that the increased ratio correlated with a better podium position in the indoor race. ConclusionDespite the age differences among athletes might have an influence on their hormone levels, these data suggest that rowing athletes subjected to different kind of competitions show a different stress and motivation response profile that might influence their performance.

Diagnostic significance of antioxidant protection indicators for assessing the course of post-Covid syndrome

Introduction. An increasing number of reports of long-term negative consequences of COVID-19, characterized by chronic inflammation, tissue hypoxia, oxidative stress, metabolic changes at the level of all body systems, determines the search for criteria for assessing long-term post-Covid syndrome. A high level of information content of saliva as samples for laboratory diagnosis of respiratory syndromes has been shown. The fact that SARS-CoV-2 is present in saliva in high concentrations suggests that saliva studies will provide rapid acquisition of useful information about the pathogenesis of post-Covid syndrome, allows us to identify the most vulnerable areas of metabolic processes and target them in combination with other rehabilitation measures. Purpose of the study: to evaluate the state of antioxidant protection and indicators of resistance to hypoxia in patients in the post-Covid period 6 monthes after the manifestation of the infectious process caused by SARS-CoV-2, according to biochemical analysis of saliva. Material and methods. 58 people participated in the study. 28 people – control group, who denied the fact of the disease; 30 people – a comparison group who suffered a new coronavirus infection of moderate severity, confirmed by PCR. The concentrations of pyruvic acid, lactic acid, reduced glutathione, the activity of glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, myeloperoxidase, and ceruloplasmin were determined in saliva. Results. In the saliva of patients in the post-Covid period, there is a pronounced increase in myeloperoxidase activity, which indicates a chronic inflammatory process. An increase in ceruloplasmin activity indicates a deficiency of iron and copper, which are necessary for oxidative phosphorylation and cellular respiration. A change in the ratio of lactate to pyruvate indicates the accumulation of NАDН2, so to change the Redox status of the body, characteristic of hypoxic conditions. A decrease in the activity of enzymes of the glutathione system was noted, which reflects the inhibition of the processes of AOD and mitochondrial oxidation. Conclusion. A set of indicators characterizing AOD, the ratio of aerobic and anaerobic processes, iron and copper transport, provides information about the peculiarities of the course of the post-Covid syndrome, which substantiates the correction paths associated with restoring glutathione levels, indicators of iron and copper metabolism and increasing resistance to hypoxic processes.

Bolus rheology of texture adjusted food-Effect of age.

Swallowing disorders, or dysphagia, affect a large part of the population due to factors such as degenerative diseases, medication side effects or simply age-related impairment of physiological oropharyngeal function. The management of dysphagia is mainly handles through texture-modified foods of progressively softer, smoother, moister textures, depending on the severity of the disorder. Rheological and physiological-related properties of boluses were determined for a group of five older persons (average age, 74) for a set of texture-modified foods: bread, cheese and tomato and the combination into a sandwich. The softest class was gel food, after which came a smooth timbale; both were compared to boluses of regular food. The subjects chewed until ready to swallow, at which point the bolus was expectorated and measured regarding saliva content, linear viscoelasticity and shear viscosity. The results were compared to those of a previously studied younger group (average age, 38). The general physiological status of the subjects was determined by hand and tongue strength, diadochokinesis and one-legged standing and showed that all subjects were as healthy and fit as the younger group. Age-related properties such as one-legged standing with closed eyes and salivary flow plus bolus saliva content were lower for the older group, but the average chews-until-swallow was surprisingly also lower. Consequently, bolus modulus and viscosity were higher than for the younger group. Overall, the intended texture modification was reflected in bolus rheological and physiological-related properties. Bolus modulus, viscosity, saliva content and chews-until-swallowed all decreased from regular food to timbale food to gel food.

Anopheline mosquito saliva contains bacteria that are transferred to a mammalian host through blood feeding.

Malaria transmission occurs when Plasmodium sporozoites are transferred from the salivary glands of anopheline mosquitoes to a human host through the injection of saliva. The need for better understanding, as well as novel modes of inhibiting, this key event in transmission has driven intense study of the protein and miRNA content of saliva. Until now the possibility that mosquito saliva may also contain bacteria has remained an open question despite the well documented presence of a rich microbiome in salivary glands. Using both 16S rRNA sequencing and MALDI-TOF approaches, we characterized the composition of the saliva microbiome of An. gambiae and An. stephensi mosquitoes which respectively represent two of the most important vectors for the major malaria-causing parasites P. falciparum and P. vivax. To eliminate the possible detection of non-mosquito-derived bacteria, we used a transgenic, fluorescent strain of one of the identified bacteria, Serratiamarcescens, to infect mosquitoes and detect its presence in mosquito salivary glands as well as its transfer to, and colonization of, mammalian host tissues following a mosquito bite. We also showed that Plasmodium infection modified the mosquito microbiota, increasing the presence of Serratia while diminishing the presence of Elizabethkingia and that both P. berghei and Serratia were transferred to, and colonized mammalian tissues. These data thus document the presence of bacteria in mosquito saliva, their transfer to, and growth in a mammalian host as well as possible interactions with Plasmodium transmission. Together they raise the possible role of mosquitoes as vectors of bacterial infection and the utility of commensal mosquito bacteria for the development of transmission-blocking strategies within a mammalian host.

Functional sugar-free chewing gum infused with spices bolsters antioxidant capacity and phenolic content of saliva

Oral and vascular diseases are seemingly disparate conditions, yet individuals with poor oral health are at increased risk for cardiovascular events. Spice-derived bioactive polyphenols with antioxidant functionality may attenuate mechanisms linking the diseases, namely oxidative stress and inflammation. Acknowledging that novel approaches to increase antioxidant intake are warranted, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of two functional sugar-free gums infused with spices on antioxidant capacity and phenolic content of saliva using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity and Folin-Ciocalteu assays, respectively. Unstimulated followed by stimulated saliva was collected according to a validated method across a prescribed five minute chewing period. Both gums significantly increased hydrophilic, lipophilic, and total antioxidant capacity of saliva (p < 0.05) yet to varying extents. Phenolic content of saliva was significantly higher (p < 0.001) post-chew for both gums. Results suggest spices infused into sugar-free chewing gum bolster the antioxidant capacity of saliva, thereby promoting oral health. Research evaluating the sublingual absorption of spice-derived antioxidants in functional gums and their influence on systemic oxidative stress is warranted.

Alternative sampling specimens for the molecular detection of mpox (formerly monkeypox) virus.

Mpox (formerly monkeypox) is a viral disease caused by the mpox virus (MPXV), endemic in Central and West Africa and currently causing a global outbreak of international concern. Much remains unknown about sample types most suited for mpox laboratory diagnosis. While it is established that high viral loads can be found in active skin lesions (currently the recommended mpox laboratory confirmation specimen type), WHO mpox testing guidelines encourage the use of oropharyngeal swabs as an additional sample type for mpox diagnosis and suggest investigating the value of other specimens like blood samples. In this study, we verified the value of select alternative specimen types for mpox laboratory confirmation. We included 25 patients with MPXV-confirmed skin lesions to compare diagnostic sensitivity of MPXV PCR testing on EDTA plasma and two upper respiratory specimens: oropharyngeal swabs and saliva. In our patient cohort with MPXV-confirmed skin lesions, diagnostic sensitivity of MPXV PCR was 80% in EDTA plasma, 64% in oropharyngeal swabs, and 88% in saliva. MPXV viral loads were significantly higher in saliva compared to oropharyngeal swabs and EDTA plasma. The WHO recommendation to collect oropharyngeal swabs as an additional specimen for mpox diagnosis might need to be revised to include saliva wherever feasible. We suggest investigating saliva as a diagnostic specimen in the absence of active skin lesions or during the phase preceding skin manifestations. Moreover, the relatively high MPXV DNA content of saliva warrants elucidating its potential role in disease transmission.

The heat is on: Consumers modify their oral processing behavior when eating spicy foods

Food texture properties and consumer characteristics influence oral processing behaviors. Little is known about oral processing behavior of pungent spicy foods. In two experiments, we investigated how adding ground dried chilies to tomato soup or beef patties and curried rice altered oral processing behaviors. In Experiment One, tomato soups differing in concentration of added ground dried chilies (0.01, 0.03, 0.20 or 0.40% w/w) were consumed (n = 23). In Experiment Two, lunch meals that differed in added ground dried chilies consisting of beef patties (0.0, 0.6 or 1.2% w/w) and curried rice (0.0, 0.4 or 1.0% w/w) were consumed (n = 49). Sip/bite sizes were determined using hidden balances. Oral processing behavior was quantified using video recordings followed by post hoc annotations of specific behaviors. When eating tomato soup, increasing oral burn was associated with increasing number of water sips, water intake and total time between sips. For the solid meals (beef patties and curried rice), increasing oral burn was associated with increased time between bites and total sips of water; conversely, total oral exposure time, total number of chews and number of chews per bite all decreased with greater burn. Saliva content and rate of saliva incorporation into the solid food bolus increased with added ground dried chilies while oral exposure time decreased. We conclude consumers adapt their oral processing behaviors to oral burn of solid foods by reducing oro-sensory exposure time, chewing bites less, increasing time between bites, and consuming more water, potentially to mitigate the discomfort associated with the burn imparted by ground dried chilies.

Effect of chewing ability on in vivo oral digestive characteristics and in vitro gastrointestinal starch hydrolysis of three different types of cooked rice.

Chewing ability has a strong effect on food digestion. However, little is known about the relationship between the food mastication degree and the subsequent gastric emptying. This study was to explore the effects of individual chewing ability (strong and weak) on the in vivo oral processing characteristics and in vitro dynamic gastrointestinal starch hydrolysis of three types of rice (japonica rice, indica rice and waxy rice). Results showed that the swallowable bolus in the weak chewing group had larger holes and a looser microstructure with more small rice particles, while the strong chewing ones obtained a bolus with higher saliva content (up to 28%) and starch hydrolysis degree (up to 13.55%). Moreover, the gastric retention and starch hydrolysis of the strong chewing ability group were higher in the artificial gastric dynamic system (AGDS). The indica rice particles with the higher degree of fragmentation contacted enzymes easier and hydrolyzed quicker, thus emptying through the stomach faster (81.76%). However, the oral chewing properties of rice mainly influenced the starch digestion in the stomach and the initial stage of the small intestine (∼5 min). This study suggested that the chewing ability and rice variety can influence the bolus properties, which in turn affected the gastric emptying and the degree of starch hydrolysis during digestion.

Relationship between Black Chromogenic Stains and Hemoglobin Levels

Background: Occurance of black discolouration of teeth is very common and a clinical challenge in the present day dentistry. Stains associated with chromogenic bacteria have a high rate of recurrence even after thorough scaling and polishing procedures. The mechanism of stain formation is still not understood clearly though its chemical composition is mainly iron suiphide and bacteria like actinomyces have been identified in plaque samples of these patients which have the ability to form iron sulphides. The iron content of saliva is known to increase in iron deficiency anemia and iron overload. Iron deficiency anemia is also associated with low hemglobin levels. Aim: To determine the hemoglobins levels in patients with and without black chromogenic stains. Methodology: A total of 40 patients of age group 15-40 years were selected and divided in to two groups. Group ‘A’ (Test group) consisted of 20 patients with black stains on atleast 8 tooth. Group “B” (Control group) consisted of 20 patients without any stains on the tooth surfaces. The individuals were screened for Lobenes stain index, Oral hygiene index and haemoglobin levels. The scores were analysed using chi –square tests. Results: It was observed that there was no significant difference between the haemoglobin levels of patients with and without stains. The oral hygiene scores were found to be significantly higher in subjects with stains compared to controls. Conclusion: The study suggests that the presence of stains were not associated with the reduced haemoglobin levels. The chromogenic black stains were more prevalent among subjects with good oral hygiene.

Rapid and green synthesis of highly luminescent MoS2 quantum dots via microwave exfoliation of MoS2 powder and its application as a fluorescence probe for cortisol detection in human saliva

We have introduced a simple, straightforward, green, and fast microwave exfoliation of MoS2 powder to prepare highly luminescent MoS2 quantum dots (QDs). The microwave irradiation of MoS2 powder was evaluated in the different solvents, including EtOH 30%, MeOH 30%, NaOH 1 M, and NH4OH 1 M in both open and closed microwave system setups. The results indicated that the highest luminescent MoS2 QDs is obtained when MoS2 powder was dispersed in 1 M ammonium solution and exposed to 850 W microwave radiation in a closed microwave system at 30 bars for 30 min. Different microscopic and spectroscopic techniques were used to characterize as-prepared MoS2 QDs. The MoS2 QDs have shown the maximum emission at 413 nm with excitation at 310 nm. The Quantum yield of as-prepared QDs was 1.98%. Cu2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, Ag+, Fe3+, and Al3+ quenched the luminescence intensity of MoS2 QDs. The luminescence of MoS2 QDs-Ag+ and Cu2+ mixtures were recovered on addition of cortisol with the higher emission recovery for Cu2+ ion. Therefore, proof-of-concept for cortisol sensing in human saliva was evaluated and discussed using off-on protocol. A linear cortisol calibration curve was obtained in the range of 100 ng mL−1 to 500 ng mL−1, with a detection limit of 16 ng mL−1 (S / N = 3). The method was successful in determining the cortisol content of saliva.

Tea compound-saliva interactions and their correlations with sweet aftertaste

Huigan is an important sensory attribute which is commonly used as a quality indicator evaluation of tea products. Previous studies showed a strong correlation between the lubrication behavior of saliva-tea compound mixture and the sensory perception of Huigan from trained panelists. This work was further designed to investigate how the effect of tea consumption on the rate of saliva secretion and its functional properties including total protein content of saliva (TPC), salivary α-amylase (AMY) and lipase activity (LP). A quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) was applied to reveal the adsorption behavior of human whole saliva and how the salivary film is affected by the presence of tea compounds. Results showed a significant positive correlation among TPC, LP and Huigan intensity for subjects who are Huigan-sensitive. Compared to the desorption of salivary film, the desorption of saliva-EC/EGC (epicatechin/epigallocatechin) mixture from the gold surface by QCM-D observation showed a significant effect on Huigan intensity in sensitive group when comparing to the salivary layer (blank).

A study on the correlation between smoking and non-enzymatic antioxidant factors of the saliva of healthy smokers and non-smokers

Objective: Smoking is among the most destructive habit which has numerous effects on the body. The chemical competent of cigarettes destroy the anti-oxidant content of the saliva. In this study, the concentration of albumin and uric acid of smokers was measured based on the frequency of smoking. Material and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 26 heavy smokers, 27 moderate smokers and 29 non-smokers between the ages of 25 to 40 were selected. The subjects did not suffer from any systemic or periodontal conditions. Unstimulated saliva was collected by spitting. The amount of albumin was measured by Bromocresol Green, and the amount of uric acid was measured by the uricase method. The selected method of analysis, using SPSS software, was One-Way ANOVA. Results: Mean albumin content of saliva was 10.22 ± 2.10 mg/dl in non-smokers and 23.88 ± 8.93 mg/dl in heavy smokers. Both uric acid and albumin content was significant in heavy smokers and non-smokers (P=0.001). Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, saliva concentrations of both Albumin and Uric Acid change based on the frequency of smoking. Decrease of saliva albumin and an increase of uric acid is an indicator of the unhealthy effects of smoking on the body. KEYWORDSUric Acid; Albumin; Saliva; Cigarette Smoking; Oxidative stress.

Effects of cystic fibrosis on the oral cavity

Cystic fibrosis is a complex, lethal, multi-system autosomal recessive disease resulting from mutations on chromosome 7 that cause dysfunction of an ion channel located on epithelial surfaces. Pulmonary disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in CF. The specific dental manifestations of the disease may result from the condition itself or from complications of treatment. This study presents the dental problems observed in patients with cystic fibrosis and reported in the literature. Particular attention was paid to dental caries, disturbances in the mineralization of hard dental tissues, gingivitis and changes in the content and properties of saliva.

Treatment of children with Pierre Robin Syndrome

Introduction. Incidence of Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) according to different studies varies from 1:8500 to 1:30000 newborns. Swallowing dysfunction may lead to aspiration of food, saliva and gastric content, resulting in severe aspirational pneumonia. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may be a life threatening condition for children with PRS and may cause death by asphyxia. Average mortality rate for PRS according to different studies is approximately 16 % and varies depending on several factors: number of patients in studies, severity of the condition, diagnostic methodologies and presence of associated syndromes in maxillofacial region. Mortality rate in severe PSR (especially associated PSR) is 41,4 %. Aside from high mortality, OSA contributes to the development of cardiovascular disease including pulmonary hypertension, which progresses more rapidly than in adults. OSA exacerbates existing comorbidities; in the absence of timely treatment sleep apnea leads to learning impairment and behavioral problems, developmental delay, failure to thrive. Methods. 80 children with PSR aged between 4 days and 1 year have undergone compression-distraction osteosynthesis (CDO). 48,8 % (39) of children were diagnosed with severe degree of OSAS, 35 % (28) had moderate degree, 16,3 % (13) had mild degree. Pretreatment diagnostics included standard set of examinations and specialist consultations. Special diagnostics included CT of head and neck, fiberoptic nasopharyngoscopy, examination by ENT specialist for the assessment of the degree of upper airways obstruction and exclusion of pathologies and anomalies of nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx and trachea, which also may be the cause for reduced airflow and upper airway obstruction (intubated children haven’t undergone these examinations). Photographs were taken and videos of clinical manifestations of airway obstruction during sleep were recorded. Blood gas tests were regularly taken; blood oxygenation levels were measured with a pulse oximeter. Polysomnography was performed, which allows for accurate and comprehensive evaluation of severity of OSA based on multiple parameters. Extra-cortical and external compression-distraction devices (CONMET, KLS Martin, Synthes) were used. Results. Good outcome was achieved in 90 % (72), satisfactory in 6,3 % (5) and negative in 3,8 % (3) of cases.

Effect of saliva fluid properties on pathogen transmissibility

With an increasing body of evidence that SARS-CoV-2 is an airborne pathogen, droplet character formed during speech, coughs, and sneezes are important. Larger droplets tend to fall faster and are less prone to drive the airborne transmission pathway. Alternatively, small droplets (aerosols) can remain suspended for long time periods. The small size of SARS-CoV-2 enables it to be encapsulated in these aerosols, thereby increasing the pathogen’s ability to be transmitted via airborne paths. Droplet formation during human respiratory events relates to airspeed (speech, cough, sneeze), fluid properties of the saliva/mucus, and the fluid content itself. In this work, we study the fluidic drivers (fluid properties and content) and their influence on factors relating to transmissibility. We explore the relationship between saliva fluid properties and droplet airborne transmission paths. Interestingly, the natural human response appears to potentially work with these drivers to mitigate pathogen transmission. In this work, the saliva is varied using two approaches: (1) modifying the saliva with colloids that increase the viscosity/surface tension, and (2) stimulating the saliva content to increased/decreased levels. Through modern experimental and numerical flow diagnostic methods, the character, content, and exposure to droplets and aerosols are all evaluated. The results indicate that altering the saliva properties can significantly impact the droplet size distribution, the formation of aerosols, the trajectory of the bulk of the droplet plume, and the exposure (or transmissibility) to droplets. High-fidelity numerical methods used and verify that increased droplet size character enhances droplet fallout. In the context of natural saliva response, we find previous studies indicating natural human responses of increased saliva viscosity from stress and reduced saliva content from either stress or illness. These responses both favorably correspond to reduced transmissibility. Such a finding also relates to potential control methods, hence, we compared results to a surgical mask. In general, we find that saliva alteration can produce fewer and larger droplets with less content and aerosols. Such results indicate a novel approach to alter SARS-CoV-2’s transmission path and may act as a way to control the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as influenza and the common cold.