Digestion in the oral cavity

Digestion of food is a rather complex process that boils down to the splitting of large molecules of proteins, fats and carbons into monomers that are easily absorbed by the cells of the body. In different parts of the digestive tract, different compounds disintegrate, which are then absorbed into the small intestinal mucosa and spread throughout the body. Begins the same digestion in the mouth.

Before considering how digestion takes place in the oral cavity, you need to at least briefly get acquainted with its structure.

Structure of the oral cavity

In anatomy it is common to divide the oral cavity into two sections:

• The threshold of the mouth (the space between the lips and teeth);
• Actually oral cavity (limited to teeth, bone skies and diaphragm of mouth);

Each element of the oral cavity has its own function and is responsible for a certain process of food processing.

Teeth are responsible for the mechanical processing of solid foods. With the help of fangs and incisors, a person bites off food, then crushes it with small molars . The function of large molars is to grind products.

The tongue is a large muscular organ that attaches to the bottom of the oral cavity. Language is involved not only in the processing of food, but also in the processes of speech. Moving, this muscular organ mixes the chopped food with saliva and forms a food lump. In addition, it is in the tissues of the tongue that taste, temperature, pain and mechanical receptors are located.

Salivary glands - parotid, sublingual and submaxillary glands come out into the oral cavity with the help of a duct. Their main function is the production and excretion of saliva, which is of great importance for the processes of digestion. Saliva functions are as follows:

• Digestive (saliva contains enzymes, by means of which carbohydrates are cleaved);
• Protective (saliva contains lysozyme, which possesses strong bactericidal properties, and saliva contains immunoglobulins and coagulation factors.) Saliva protects the oral cavity from drying out);
• Excretory (with saliva substances such as urea, salts, alcohol, certain medicinal substances);

Digestion in the oral cavity: mechanical phase

In the oral cavity, a variety of foods can enter and depending on its consistency, it either immediately passes into the esophagus during the swallowing act (drinks, liquid food), or undergoes mechanical processing that facilitates further digestion processes.

As already mentioned, with the help of teeth, food is crushed. The movements of the tongue are needed in order to mix the chewed foods with saliva. Under the influence of saliva, the food softens and envelops with mucus. Mucin, which is contained in saliva, takes part in the formation of a food lump, which later passes into the esophagus.

Digestion in the oral cavity: enzymatic phase

The composition of saliva also includes some enzymes that participate in the decay of polymers. In the oral cavity there is a splitting of carbons, which continues already in the small intestine.

Saliva contains a complex of enzymes called ptyalin. Under their influence, the polysaccharides decompose to disaccharides (mainly maltose). Later, maltose under the influence of another enzyme is split into glucose monosaccharide.

The longer the food is in the oral cavity and is susceptible to enzymatic action, the easier it is to digest it in all other parts of the herb tract. That's why doctors always recommend chewing food as long as possible.

On this digestion in the mouth ends. The food lump goes on and, getting on the root of the tongue, starts the reflex swallowing process, in which the food passes into the esophagus and then gets into the stomach.

If to summarize, then in the oral cavity there are such processes as grinding food, analyzing its taste qualities, wetting with saliva, mixing and the primary breakdown of carbohydrates.