11 SCIN Digestion in the Mouth

pH in the mouth

around neutral, ideal for amylase to work in

2 functions of saliva

1 chemically breaks down starch using amylase, 2 moistens and softens food to make it easier to eat

Function of teeth

mechanically digests food so that food is small enough to be swallowed, and food has a larger surface area for chemical digestion

Parts of teeth

enamel, dentine, pulp cavity, jawbone, gum, nerves and blood vessels, root and crown

Enamel

hard biting surface of teeth

Dentine

living tissue, hard material that makes up bulk of teeth, protects nerves and blood vessels

Pulp cavity

central cavity that houses the pulp

Cement

bone like structure that covers root and helps it stay in place

Incisors

tooth for biting or cutting food

Canine

tooth for tearing food and killing prey, pointy in shape

Molars

tooth for crushing, grinding, or chewing food

Molar and Premolar teeth (herbivores)

large molars with ridged surfaces, increases the surface area for grinding up plant material during chewing

Large diastema (herbivores)

gap in the teeth, allows side to side movement of the jaw and allows the tongue to more effectively move food around the mouth, aiding chewing

Incisors (herbivores)

large, sharp, blade like teeth, used for biting plant material

Hard pony palate (herbivores)

top jaw has no incisors in some herbivores, used for incisors in the bottom jaw to cut against

How do jaws move in herbivores?

side to side to aid the grinding of tough cellulose cell walls

Incisors (carnivores)

sharp and pointy, helps to grip meat for ingestion and for scraping meat off the bone

Canine teeth (carnivores)

sharp, jagged, and blade shaped, to catch and kill prey, and to tear flesh off the bone of the prey animal

Diastema (carnivores)

gap in the teeth for large canine teeth to slide into when the mouth is closed

Molar and premolar teeth (carnivores)

sharp, razor like edges called carnassial teeth, allows the tearing up of meat into smaller pieces

How do jaws move in carnivores?

up and down to aid slicing of meat

Mastication

the process of chewing food

Time it takes for herbivores to chew food

a long time because it is difficult to physically break down due to the cellulose

Time it takes for carnivores to chew food

a short time to stop other carnivores from eating it, and because meat is relatively easy to digest