Saliva contains about 98% water. Thus, saliva should be able to eliminate thirst. But in reality, swallowing saliva is not a way out to relieve the thirst you feel.
Why is that? Let’s look at the following explanation.
Saliva is much more concentrated than ordinary water
Saliva is much more concentrated than water. While the water we usually drink has a lower salt content and other substances than the substances in our bodies.
This is related to osmosis or the movement of water molecules from low concentration to high concentration.
In other words, when you consume watery fluids, your body can absorb them completely so that your body can stay hydrated.
However, if you consume fluids that are concentrated or in a higher concentration than your body, your body will remain dehydrated.
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Fresh Water is More Effective in Overcoming Thirst
Fresh water is much more concentrated with salts and solutes in addition to fluids than the human body. This is the reason why fresh water is so refreshing and relieves thirst when drunk.
In addition, it is also influenced by the osmosis factor, which is when water flows towards a higher concentration. So, if you drink less concentrated substances, your body can absorb those fluids and become hydrated.
And conversely, if you drink fluids that have a higher concentration than your body, then the water in your body will actually flow towards water that is concentrated so that you will be more dehydrated.
If you are severely dehydrated, your health care provider will give you salt via an intravenous (IV) drip, especially if the person is unable to take fluids orally.