vSaliva pH (the measure of acidity vs alkaline) levels can vary, but some recomm end eating such that

your saliva is between 7.0 and 7.4 pH. Since we usually def ine "neutral" pH as 7.0, the above ideal level means your saliva should be neutr al or slightly alkaline. Dr. L. Scott Brooksby of Las Vegas, NV conducted a stud y of every patient that entered his prosthodontic practice during 2004. He found that 70% of the cavities in his practice occurred in patients that had a pH of 7.0 or less. He found that patients with a pH above 7.6 had much higher levels o f tartar or calculus buildup on their teeth. He suggested that the ideal pH shou ld be between 7.4 and 7.6. The best time to measure your salivary pH is immediat ely upon rising- before putting anything (not even water) into your mouth. A low pH is the first sign that somet hing is amiss, prior to an organ malfunctioning, prior to cancer, or just about any other disease being diagnosed. Think of your salivary pH as nature's way of giving you a non-painful warning so that you can do something about it while you still have time. You can learn (via instand download) much more about how saliv ary pH can be a tool for you to monitor your health at www.livelifewellinfo.com where my book "Your Health = Your pH: How To Reverse Illness & Gain Vitality" is (you can read the first 2 chapters for free on line). Pretty much right. Amylase hydrolyses the ether bonds (ie breaks them by adding a water to them) between the sugars in starch, which is a polymer of sugars all joined together. The HCl will denature (unfold) the amylase (as noted at the bottom of the link y ou provided), disrupting the shape of its active site, therefore it won't work a nymore. Enzymes are just chains of amino acids joined together that curl and fol d up into a very specific shape that gives them activity. Various things can cau se unfolding, like heat, chemicals (called chaotropes) and large changes in pH f rom the optimum that the enzyme is not designed to handle. 1) digestion is the break down of large complex and insoluble food into small si mple soluble molecules for the body to absorb it. starch is a complex, the body have to find a way to break down starch, so the body produces salivary amylase i n the mouth to begin the break down of starch into maltose. amylase works in the pH of alkaline. 2) hydrochloric acid is produced in the stomach and one of its function is to ch ange the acidic pH to acidic. salivary amylase can only work in the pH of alkali ne so when hydrochloric acid change the pH to acidic the the effect of the saliv ary amylase will decrease until it stops. but that doesn't say that, that's wher e the break down of starch ends, as the food goes down into the duodenum the pH will change to alkaline and the pancreas will produce pancreatic amylase to cont inue the break down of starch into amylase. i hope that this bit of information will be of use to you. :)