Human Nutrition (Digestion In The Mouth) Flashcards
What forms of digestion take place in the mouth?
Mechanical and physical digestion
What mechanical digestion takes place in the mouth?
The chewing and grinding action of teeth on food
What chemical digestion takes place in the mouth?
The action of the enzyme amylase
What enzyme is found in the mouth that partakes in the chemical digestion of food?
Amylase
What in the mouth is amylase found in?
Saliva
What produces saliva in the mouth?
Three pairs of salivary glands
Where are the three pairs of salivary glands which produce saliva in the mouth found?
Under the tongue, in the cheeks and at the back of the jaw
What is saliva made of?
5
Water Salts Mucus Lysozyme Amylase
What is mucus also called?
Mucin
What is lysozyme?
An enzyme that destroys micro-organisms
What enzyme which destroys micro-organisms is found in saliva?
Lysozyme
What does saliva travel through to reach the mouth from the salivary glands?
Small tubes or ducts
Where is the enzyme amylase active?
In the mouth
What is the pH of the mouth?
It is close to seven
What pH inhibits the enzyme amylase?
The acidic conditions (pH 2) of the stomach
What does amylase break starch down to?
Maltose
What does amylase break down to form maltose?
Starch
What enzyme breaks down starch into maltose?
Amylase
In the mouth, what does food form after both mechanical and chemical digestion has taken place?
Food forms a ball or bolus
What happens to the bolus of food in the mouth after mechanical and chemical digestion has taken place?
It is pushed back into the pharynx which is connected to the oesophagus
What is the flap which closes over the trachea called?
The epiglottis
What is the epiglottis?
The flap which closes over the trachea which ensures food passes down the oesophagus