Mastication, commonly known as chewing, is a complex process that involves the coordinated movement of the jaw, tongue, and muscles of the mouth and face to break down food into smaller, more easily digestible pieces. Proper mastication is essential for effective digestion and nutrient absorption. Here’s what mastication is supposed to look like:
1. Initial Contact: The mastication process begins when food enters the mouth. The tongue plays a crucial role in positioning the food between the teeth for chewing.
2. Biting and Grinding: As the teeth come together, the tongue helps guide the food onto the chewing surface of the teeth. This positioning ensures that the food is effectively bitten and ground down into smaller, more manageable pieces.
3. Mixing with Saliva: During chewing, the tongue aids in mixing the food with saliva. It helps move the food around the mouth, ensuring that it comes into contact with the saliva produced by the salivary glands. This saliva contains enzymes that initiate the breakdown of carbohydrates in the food.
4. Rotary and Lateral Movements: The tongue actively participates in the rotary and lateral movements of the lower jaw during chewing. It helps manipulate the food within the mouth, facilitating the grinding process and ensuring that all areas of the food are thoroughly chewed.
5. Forming Bolus: After the food has been thoroughly chewed and mixed with saliva, the tongue shapes the chewed food and saliva mixture into a cohesive bolus. This bolus is then ready to be swallowed and passed down the esophagus for further digestion.
6. Swallowing: Once the bolus is formed, the tongue pushes it to the back of the mouth, triggering the swallowing reflex. This reflex initiates the movement of the bolus down the esophagus and into the stomach for digestion.
In summary, the tongue plays a vital role in mastication by assisting in the positioning of food, mixing it with saliva, and shaping it into a bolus for swallowing. Its coordinated movements with the teeth and jaw ensure efficient chewing and preparation of food for digestion.