In saliva samples with a high AMY1 copy number, the researchers saw increased populations of bacteria, like Streptococcus, that feed off the starch's sugars. "If someone has a high copy number ...

One component of saliva that has been shown to vary according to diet is amylase, the only digestive enzyme that converts starch into sugar, Dominy said. Amylase is also found in the pancreas and ...