CHAPTER 3

Preparation for digestion

DIGESTION

Digestion happens in
the ________.

What are enzymes?

BEFORE THE STOMACH

3 steps happen before food reaches the

stomach.

These 3 steps are:

insalivation, mastication, and

swallowing

INSALIVATION

INSALIVATION

Saliva is a watery substance secreted

by the salivary glands.

There are 3 pairs of salivary glands:

parotid, submandibular, and sublingual.

WHAT DOES SALIVA DO?

THE ACTIONS OF SPIT

Starts digesting starch; digestive

enzyme amylase breaks starch into
simple carbohydrates.

Kills some bacteria in food.

Helps food pass through pharynx and

oesophagus.

THE TONGUE

The tongue is a
muscular organ.

It is covered with
taste buds.

Movement of tongue:
makes mastication
easier and mixes food
with saliva.

MASTICATION

Mastication =
chewing.

What is the difference

between a
mechanical and
chemical process?

TEETH

Outside of teeth: hard

enamel made of
calcium and fluoride
compounds.

Inside of teeth:
nerves, blood
vessels, and other
tissues.

TYPES OF TEETH

HOW MANY TEETH DO

YOU HAVE?

MILK TEETH

Children have 20 teeth, called milk

teeth.

Milk teeth develop before age 3, and

fall out around age 5-6.

No premolars

PERMANENT TEETH

Adults have 32 teeth.

4 incisors, 2 canines, 4 premolars and 6

molars

MASTICATION

incisors cut food into

several pieces

canines make the

pieces smaller

premolars and molars

grind up the food
completely

MASTICATION

Food bolus: soft mass

(bolus = ball) of
chewed food

Produced by the
tongue, teeth and
saliva

SWALLOWING

SWALLOWING

Swallowing = 3 stages

1 voluntary stage, and 2 involuntary

stages

STEP 1 - VOLUNTARY

You push your tongue against the

palate.

Food bolus is squeezed to back of oral

cavity.

STEP 2 - INVOLUNTARY

A series of reflexes

Soft palate closes openings to nasal

cavity

Larynx moves up

Epiglottis closes its upper opening.

FOOD BOLUS ENTERS THE

PHARYNX

CHOKING

It is impossible to
breath when the
upper opening of
the larynx is closed.

Why?

STEP 3 - INVOLUNTARY

Another reflex moves food bolus into

oesophagus

PERISTALSIS

The oesophagus has 2 muscle layers.

These muscles contract to move the

food bolus to the stomach.

The name of this movement is

peristalsis.

SOURCES

Geology and Biology - Oxford CLIL