What Does Saliva Do for Your Teeth? Saliva does much more than keep your mouth comfortable. It helps wash away food particles, supports chewing and swallowing, and plays an important role in protecting your teeth throughout the day. Most people only notice saliva when their mouth feels dry, but reduced saliva flow can affect both the teeth and gums. Saliva helps protect teeth by: Rinsing food particles and sugars from the mouth Neutralising acids produced after eating and dri