The mouth Flashcards
what occurs at the mouth
Ingestion of food
What do teeth do when food is consumed
the teeth cut and crush food into smaller pieces which is a form of mechanical digestion
what form of digestion are the teeth chewing food
mechanical digestion
what does the chewing action do/release
The chewing action is mixed with saliva, a fluid excreted by the salivary glands. Saliva contains the salivary amylase enzymes which begin the chemical digestion of starch.
what form of digestion is saliva mixing with food
chemical digestion
what does the saliva contain
- amylase
- water
- minerals
- mucous
what does saliva help with
the lubrication of food
what are the different types of teeth
- incisors
- canines
- premolars
- molars
how many of each tooth do you have in the jaw
- 4 incisors
- 2 canines
- 4 premolars
- 6 molars
what do the incisors do
These are chisel-shaped teeth are used for biting or cutting
what do the canines do
There are one on each side of the incisors. These are conical teeth used for tearing.
what do the premolars do
There are two on each side of the jaw. The premolars have broad crowns with rounded cusps and are used for crushing and grinding food.
what do the molars do
There are three on each side of the jaw. The molars have broad crowns with rounded cusps and are used for crushing and grinding food.
why is the structure of the molars and premolars ideal for crushing and grinding food
The cusps of the teeth on one jaw fit into depressions on the surface of teeth on the other jaw, making premolars and molars ideal for crushing and grinding.
what do the tongue and chewing motion do
it rolls food into a bolus (ball)
