Mastication Flashcards
What is mastication?
chewing - solid food is chewed, cut, torn and ground into smaller pieces
What structures are involved in chewing?
- upper and lower jaws with teeth 2. the striated mandibular muscles 3. the tongue and cheeks
Course of the food during mastication?
food is forced from oral cavity to the vestibule and back, crossing and recrossing the occlusional surfaces
Importance of chewing?
- exposing starches in food to salivary amylase
- increase surface area of ingested material for enzymatic attack
- Taste sensations are enhanced by mastication by dissolving or suspensions of solid components in the saliva
- prevent injury to the lining of the pharynx and eosophagus by reducing size of ingesta
What stimulates salivation?
- taste sensations - also stimulate gastric secretions 2. chewing
Centres integrating chewing lie where?
- lower brainstem in the basal ganglia
2. cerebral cortex
Function of the tongue after mastication and salivation?
the tongue compacts food into a bolus
What structures produce saliva?
- buccal glands
- 3 pairs of extrinsic salivary glands
- produce 1 litre
Structure of extrinsic glands?
connected to oral cavity via ducts
Describe the kinds of saliva?
- serous - producing saliva rich in protein, water and electrolytes (parotid gland)
- mucous gland (sublingual gland) - produce mucus
- mucus + protein - submandibular gland
What is the composition of saliva?
- Constitutes 99% Water, hypoosmotic to plasma
- Electrolytes: Na+, K+ , Ca2+, Cl- and bicarbonate (HCO3-)
- Digestive enzymes: α-amylase, lysozymes
- Proteins: mucus (mucins), IgA and IgM
What are the functions of saliva?
- keeps mouth moist
- facilitates speaking
- health of the mouth
- facilitates swallowing
- digestion of starches
- facilitates food taste
- immunity
How does saliva maintain the health of the mouth?
- contains substances that limit and regulate bacterial growth 2. contains alkali that neutralises acid
How does saliva aid in the digestion of starch?
- Saliva contains salivary amylase (ptyalin or alpha-amylase) 2. Mediates starch digestion in the mouth
How does saliva ease swallowing?
Saliva moistens and lubricates food so that it can be broken down by chewing before being swallowed : 1. the water in the saliva moistens the food particles 2. salivary mucins bind masticated food into coherent and slippery bolus that can easily slide through the esophagus without damaging the mucosa