R.

Boodram
Topic 4 – Mechanical Digestion

MECHANICAL DIGESTION
S.O. 2.7 Relate the structures of the human alimentary canal to their functions

Humans and other animals are heterotrophs. This means that they obtain their nutrition by
consuming complex organic molecules and breaking them down to simple soluble ones.
Heterotrophic nutrition consists of the following processes:

• Feeding or ingestion – where food is taken into the body

• Digestion – where large, complex, insoluble food molecules are broken down into smaller,
soluble molecules

• Absorption – where small, soluble food molecules are absorbed into the blood and into
body cells

• Assimilation – where the food molecules are stored or used by the cells for respiration,
growth and development

• Egestion – where undigested food is removed from the body

THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Digestion breaks down food into a form that is useful for body activities, i.e. simple, soluble
molecules. It occurs in the alimentary canal which is a tube 8 to 9 meters long with muscular walls
running from the mouth to the anus. Different regions of the canal are adapted to perform different
functions.

Food enters our digestive system through the mouth (ingestion). Before the food can be distributed
and used in our bodies it has to be broken down or digested. There are two kinds of digestion:
mechanical digestion and chemical digestion. Chemical digestion uses enzymes within the gut.
 R. Boodram
Topic 4 – Mechanical Digestion

MECHANICAL DIGESTION

Mechanical digestion is the process by which large food particles are physically broken down into
smaller food particles. Mechanical digestion begins in the mouth where it is carried out mainly by
the teeth, which tears and grinds up food. This is important because:

• It gives the pieces of food a larger surface area for digestive enzymes to act on, making
chemical digestion quicker and easier.

• It makes food easier to swallow.

In mammals, only the lower jaw is movable, while the upper jaw is fused to the skull. Chewing is
brought about by the cheek muscles, which moves the lower jaw up and down and allow some side-
to-side movement. The process of chewing food by moving the jaws and teeth is called mastication.

As with most mammals, humans have four types of teeth: incisors, canines, premolars and molars.
There are 32 teeth in a full set of adult teeth: 8 incisors, 4 canines, 8 premolars and 12 molars.

Types of Teeth

Type Position Shape Functions

Incisor At the front of the jaw Chisel-shaped with To cut and bite off
sharp thin edges pieces of food

Canine Next to the incisor Cone-shaped and To grip and tear off
pointed pieces of food

Premolar At the side of the jaw Have a fairly broad To crush and grind
next to the canines surface with two food
pointed cusps

Molar At the back of the jaw Have a broad surface To crush and grind
next to the premolars with 4 or 5 pointed food
cusps
 R. Boodram
Topic 4 – Mechanical Digestion

Structure of a Tooth

The crown of a tooth is covered with a non-living material called enamel, which is the hardest
substance in the body. Underneath the enamel is a softer material (but still about as hard as bone)
called dentine. The middle of the tooth is called the pulp cavity. It contains blood vessels and
nerves. There are fine channels running through the dentine, filled with cytoplasm. These
cytoplasmic strands are kept alive by nutrients and oxygen from the blood vessels in the pulp cavity.
The root of the tooth is covered with cement, containing fibres. This material anchors the tooth in
the jawbone but allows a slight degree of movement when the person is chewing.

During their lifetime, mammals have two sets of teeth. The first set is called the milk teeth and in
humans, these start to grow through the gum when the child is a few months old. By the age of 3,
the child will have about 20 milk teeth. From around 7 years old, the milk teeth are pushed out by
permanent teeth growing underneath them. The molars at the back are only present as permanent
teeth.

Tooth decay

Tooth decay is caused by bacteria in the mouth feeding on sugar. The bacteria break down the sugar,
forming acids which dissolve the tooth enamel. Once the enamel is penetrated, the acid breaks
down the softer dentine underneath. Eventually a cavity is formed in the tooth. Bacteria can then
enter this cavity and enlarge it until the decay reaches the nerves in the pulp cavity.