PHYL 142 | Digestive | The Oral Cavity
Anatomy & Physiology with Dr. J・2 minutes read
Food digestion begins in the mouth with the help of teeth, tongue, and salivary glands, aiding in both physical and chemical breakdown. Dentists pay attention to different types of teeth, like wisdom teeth, which may be removed to prevent alignment issues or decay, reducing the total number of teeth in adults to 28 after extraction.
Insights
- The mouth is a crucial site for digestion, where food is physically broken down by teeth and tongue, and chemically digested by enzymes from salivary glands, forming a bolus that aids in further processing in the GI tract.
- Dentists specialize in the study and care of different types of teeth, such as incisors, canines, premolars, and molars, with wisdom teeth often requiring extraction due to alignment or decay issues, resulting in a typical adult having 28 teeth post-removal.
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Recent questions
What are the primary functions of teeth?
Chewing and grinding food.
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Summary
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Oral Digestion: Teeth, Tongue, Saliva, Bolus
- Food enters the mouth, where physical and chemical digestion occur with the help of teeth, tongue, and salivary glands.
- The oral cavity is the primary part of the GI tract, with accessory organs like salivary glands aiding in digestion.
- Dentists focus on different types of teeth, including incisors, canines, premolars, and molars, each serving specific functions in chewing and grinding food.
- Wisdom teeth, the third molars, are often removed due to alignment issues or decay, reducing the total number of teeth in adults to 28 after extraction.
- Physical digestion involves mashing and grinding food with teeth and tongue, while chemical digestion is facilitated by salivary glands producing enzymes.
- The mixture of food and saliva forms a bolus in the GI tract, which aids in breaking down macromolecules and neutralizing harmful substances through chemical digestion.
