Oesophagus:

1. It is a tube-like structure connecting the mouth and the stomach. It is around 30 cm

in length.
2. It has powerful muscles which gently push the food and fluids (bolus) down to the
stomach.
3. This rhythmic movement is called peristalsis.
4. No digestion takes place in oesophagus.

Layers of Oesophagus
The oesophagus has four layers:
 The inner layer is the mucosa. It is moist to help food pass into the stomach.
 Mucus-producing glands are found in the submucosa. The oesophagus is kept
moist as a result of this.
 The muscularis is the layer of muscle. It causes food to be pushed down into the
stomach.
 The adventitia is the outermost layer. It connects the oesophagus to the nearby
parts of the body.

Function of Oesophagus
The purpose of the oesophagus is to transport food and liquids from the mouth to the
stomach. Instead of gravity, periodic contractions (peristalsis) are used to do this.

These contractions are reversed during vomiting, allowing the stomach contents to be
returned to the mouth and spit out.

Below are the functions performed by the oesophagus:

 Food and liquids are transported from the pharynx to the stomach.
 Prevent passive absorption of chemicals from food into the bloodstream.
 Prevent gastric contents from refluxing.
 The oesophagus acts as the next point of contact for food entering the
gastrointestinal tract after the buccal cavity.
 Control the movement of the epiglottis for preventing food from entering the
windpipe.
 Oesophageal radial contractions help push food down.
 Food moves quickly towards the gastro-oesophageal junction due to rhythmic
oesophageal contractions and relaxations.
Care must be taken with the oesophagus or food pipe's health, as neglect can result in
severe food pipe problems.

Oesophageal Problems and Disorders

GERD is the most frequent kind. Heartburn and swallowing issues are caused by
disorders like gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), achalasia, and Barrett's
oesophagus, which raise the risk of oesophageal cancer.
Medications, as well as food and lifestyle adjustments, may be beneficial.

Types of Oesophageal Disorders

Types of oesophageal disorders are described below:
 GERD: When the lower oesophageal sphincter fails to seal properly, the most
frequent oesophageal disorder arises. Stomach acid and contents flow backwards
into the oesophagus as a result.
 Achalasia: Food cannot enter the stomach because the lower oesophageal
sphincter does not open or relax. Achalasia is believed to be an autoimmune
condition, although the cause is unknown.
 Barrett’s Esophagus: The lining of the bottom part of the oesophagus begins to
resemble the stomach lining, and the cells begin to resemble intestinal cells in
those who have persistent, untreated acid reflux. This disease has been linked to an
increased risk of oesophageal cancer.
 Eosinophilic Esophagitis: In the oesophagus, white blood cells called eosinophils
become overabundant. Allergy sufferers are more prone to this sickness.
 Oesophageal Cancer: Squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma are the two
kinds of oesophageal cancer. Squamous is increased by smoking, radiation, and
HPV infection, and adenocarcinoma is increased by smoking and acid reflux.
 Oesophageal Diverticulum: An outpouching occurs when the oesophagus has a
weak area. Achalasia patients are more likely to have diverticula.
 Oesophageal Spasms: Sometimes, in the oesophagus, abnormal muscle spasms
(contractions) develop. Due to this uncommon and unpleasant condition, food
cannot reach the stomach.
 Oesophageal Strictures: The oesophagus narrows too much. Foods and liquids
pass through the intestines and into the stomach at a slow pace.
 Hiatal Hernias: The upper section of the stomach resides in the chest, protruding
above a diaphragm opening. As a result of this illness, acid reflux becomes worse.
Parts of the Buccal Cavity
The parts of the mouth include lips, teeth, gums, mouth cavity with buccal mucosa, salivary
glands and tongue. Let’s have a look at each structure.

Lips
Lips are soft, muscular and movable structures, which are formed by the complex of orbicularis
oris muscles. The reddish-pink appearance of the lips is mainly because of the underlying blood
vessels which are covered by the thin and transparent epithelium tissues.

Buccal mucosa
It is the inner lining of the cheeks and the back of the lips. It provides a round shape to the
cheeks.

Tongue
It is a large, muscular organ, which occupies most of the oral cavity and can take up a variety of
shapes and positions. There are 50 to 100 taste receptor cells in each taste bud, which are located
in the lining of the mouth. It is the main sense organ of human beings and is involved in:

 Sense of Taste
 A major organ of speech
 Oral cleansing of the mouth
 Squeezing food into the oropharynx while swallowing
 Formation of clear and distinct sounds during the speech.

Teeth
The teeth are the strongest and most rigid substances in the human body. A normal adult has 32
teeth and is divided into incisor, canine, molars and premolars. There is a third molar, which is
called the wisdom teeth, which appear in a person’s late teens or early twenties.

Each tooth consists of a crown with one or more tips, a neck, and a root. The Pulp cavity is the
centre part of the tooth, filled with blood vessels, nerves and connective tissues and is
surrounded by an enamel, which protects the tooth against scratch, cut and the invasion of
bacteria present in the mouth.
Buccal Cavity: Structure and Role in
Digestion, Deglutition, Practice Problems
and FAQ’s

Once we think about some foods like samosa, kachori or ice cream, the water comes into our mouth.

Have you ever wondered where this water comes from and what exactly this water is?

As we all know that we eat food through our mouth. It forms the first organ of the digestive system.

The watery substance that is secreted in our mouth is called saliva. It comes from the salivary glands that are
present in the buccal cavity. Apart from these, we all know that other structures are also present in our buccal
cavity.

Now, open your mouth and see in the mirror what structures are present there?
Yes, tongue and teeth are there. These help in the digestion of food. In this topic, let's discuss the digestion of
food in the buccal cavity and understand its parts.

Table of Contents
 Buccal Cavity
 Role of Buccal Cavity in Digestion
 Deglutition
 Practice Problems of Buccal Cavity
 Frequently Asked Questions of Buccal Cavity
Buccal Cavity
The first part of the alimentary canal is the mouth. The mouth opens into buccal cavity or oral cavity. The
buccal cavity has three parts as follows:

 Palate
 Tongue
 Teeth
Palate

Palate is considered as the roof of the buccal cavity. The rugae are present in the palate that are characterised
as ridges. Palate is divided into three parts as follows:

Hard Palate
It is the anterior part of the palate that possesses ridges. It helps in chewing.

Soft Palate
It forms the posterior part of the palate and is smooth and fleshy.

Uvula
It is considered as the extension of the soft palate and is found hanging above the throat. It helps in swallowing
the food and prevents food entry into the nasal chamber.

Tongue

Tongue is a freely movable and muscular organ that occupies the floor of the mouth. It is a flat and voluntary
organ. The functions of the tongue are sensory and it helps in mastication of food.
Parts of Tongue

Tongue consists of the following parts:

Frenulum
Tongue is attached to the floor of the mouth with the help of lingual frenulum.

Papillae
Papillae are projections present on the upper surface of the tongue. Some of them bear taste buds.
Types of Papillae

There are four types of papillae on the tongue as follows:

 Foliate papillae - It is normally present in mammals except human beings. They are present on
the sides of the bases of the tongue.
 Filiform papillae - They are present near the centre of the tongue. They are small and numerous.
They possess tactile or touch receptors.
 Circumvallate papillae - They are the largest papillae. They are arranged in the form of an
inverted V-shape. They are present towards the base of the tongue.
 Fungiform papillae - They are spherical in shape and numerous. They present near the tip of the
tongue.
Taste Buds
They are considered as the receptors of taste that are present within some papillae. They sense all four tastes
(bitter, sour, salty, and sweet) and send messages to the brain to generate the sensation of taste. An average
person has about 10,000 taste buds.

Functions of the Tongue

The tongue performs the following functions:

  It aids in chewing and swallowing the food.
 It is the organ of taste.
 It acts as a brush and helps in cleaning the teeth.
 It plays an important role in speech.
 It helps in lodging the food between the grinding surfaces of teeth.
Teeth

Teeth are hard structures. They are present in two semicircles. They are embedded in the socket of the jaw
bone. Teeth are eco-mesodermal in origin. They are of several uses, such as gripping, cutting, gnawing, tearing
and crushing.

Parts of Tooth
The tooth is composed of the following parts:

 Crown - The exposed part of the tooth is termed a crown. It projects above the gums.
 Enamel - It is the hardest part of the human body that covers the crown. Enamel is secreted by
the ameloblast cells. It is acellular, avascular and non-regenerable. The function of enamel is to
masticate the food.
 Neck - It is the middle part of the tooth which is surrounded by the gums.
 Root - It is the basal part of the tooth which is embedded in the jaw bone.
 Dentine - Crown and root of the teeth are made up of dentine.
 Pulp cavity - It is the cavity enclosed by the dentine. It possesses soft, gelatinous connective
tissue called pulp. It possesses dentine forming cells called odontoblasts.
 Pulp canal - Through this canal blood supplies and nerves enter the pulp cavity.
 Periodontal membrane - It fixes the root to the jaw bone.
Classifications of Animal Teeth

There are three classifications of animal teeth based on structure and function, placement in jaw and
appearance in life.

Classification of Dentition on the Basis of Structure and Function

On the basis of structure and function, teeth are classified into two types as follows:

 Homodont teeth - In this condition only a single type of teeth present in the oral cavity.
Examples include the teeth of dolphins.
 Heterodont teeth - In this condition different types of teeth are present in the oral cavity. For
example, in human beings and cheetahs.
Human Teeth

They are of four types as follows:

 Incisors - They are chisel shaped and have one root. They are eight in number and mainly used
for cutting.
 Canines - They are dagger-shaped and have one deep root. They are four in number and used for
ripping and shredding.
 Premolars - They are bicuspid teeth, that means they have two cusps at the crown. The premolars
of the upper jaw have two roots and the premolars of the lower jaw have one root. They are eight
in number and used for chewing and crushing.
 Molars - On the upper jaw they have three roots and the molars of the lower jaw have two roots.
They are 12 in number and help in chewing, crushing and grinding.
Classification of Dentition on the Basis of Placement in Jaw
On the basis of placement in the jaw, teeth are of three types as follows:

 Thecodont dentition - These types of teeth are present in the bony sockets. They are found in
man and crocodile.
 Pleurodont dentition - These types of teeth are present on the lateral side of jaw bone and
commonly found in reptiles.
 Acrodont dentition - These types of teeth are present on the terminal part of the jaw bone. These
are found in amphibians and fish.

Classification of Dentition on the Basis of Appearance in Life

On the basis of appearance in life, teeth are of three types as follows:
  Monophyodont - These types of teeth appear once in lifetime. Examples include wisdom teeth
(third molar) in man which appear once in lifetime.
 Diphyodont - These types of teeth appear twice in lifetime. Examples include incisors, canines
and molars.
 Polyphyodont - These types of teeth appear more than twice in lifetime. Examples include teeth
in amphibians.
Classification of Human Dentition on the Basis of Appearance in Life
On the basis of appearance in life, human teeth are of two types as follows:
 Temporary Teeth - They are also known as milk or deciduous teeth. They developed fully by the
age of two or three years. They are 20 in number. Premolars are absent in temporary teeth. Dental
formula of temporary teeth is shown below.

 Permanent Teeth - They replace the temporary teeth. They start forming at the age of six and
complete formation by the age of 12. The wisdom teeth or last molar form after the age of 18.
They are 32 in number. Once broken, they cannot be replaced naturally. Dental formula of
permanent teeth is shown below:
Role of Buccal Cavity in Digestion
Buccal cavity performs two major functions and these are mastication of food and facilitation of swallowing.

Mechanical Digestion or Mastication

It is the chewing of food and mixing of saliva with the help of teeth and tongue in the mouth. Food enters the
alimentary canal through the mouth where it is chewed and broken down into smaller pieces. These smaller
pieces of food mixed with saliva with the help of tongue. Saliva is the binding agent that holds the food
together and forms a bolus.
Constituents of Bolus
The constituents of bolus are as follows:

 Water
 Different compounds in food like fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
 Electrolytes like sodium, potassium, chlorine etc.
 Enzymes like salivary amylase and lysozyme
 Bacteria of mouth and food - Lysozyme acts on bacteria and destroys them.
Chemical Digestion

In the buccal cavity, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids are not digested. Only carbohydrates are digested in the
buccal cavity. 3-5% of carbohydrates are digested here.

Carbohydrates are long chains of sugar molecules (polysaccharides). Saliva contains enzymes like salivary amy
for the breakdown of polysaccharides into simpler forms called disaccharides. Amylase is only able to convert 3
into monosaccharides. The rest of the carbohydrates remain as polysaccharides.

Carbohydrates

Salivary amylase is also called ptyalin. 30% of ingested starch is digested as disaccharides in the following w

Isomaltose is similar to maltose, but with a different structure.

Deglutition
Deglutition is the scientific term of swallowing. The centre for swallowing present in the medulla oblongata
initiates the deglutition reflex. It also causes progressive contraction of the pharyngeal muscles which continue
to propel the food bolus through the pharynx.

Deglutition helps in the passing of bolus from mouth to the pharynx to the oesophagus in the following way.

Practice Problems of Buccal Cavity

Question 1. Determine the structure which is characterised as the anterior portion of the roof of the
buccal cavity?
a. Hard palate
b. Soft palate
c. Rugae and uvula
d. None of the above
Solution: The roof of the buccal cavity is called palate which is divided into two parts: hard palate and soft
palate. The anterior and posterior portion of the roof is called hard palate and soft palate respectively. Hard
ridge-like structures called rugae are present in the hard palate. Rugae is supported by bones. It holds the food
that is under mastication. Hence, the correct option is a.
Question 2. Determine the characteristic features of human teeth?

a. They are thecodont

b. They are heterodont
c. They are diphyodont
d. All of the above

Solution: Human teeth are thecodont. Thecodont detention are the types of teeth that are embedded in sockets.
They are heterodont which means they have more than one type of teeth. Different types of teeth present in
humans are canines, incisors, premolars, and molars. Human teeth are also diphyodont, that means, two sets of
teeth appear during the lifetime. Milk teeth are the first set of teeth. They are temporary and called deciduous
teeth. The other set of teeth is permanent which replace the milk teeth. Hence, the correct option is d.
Question 3. Determine the structure which has the small projections on the upper surface of the tongue
and some of which have taste buds?

a. Lingual frenulum
b. Papillae
c. Enamel
d. Pulp cavity

Solution: The small projections on the upper surface of the tongue, some of which have taste buds are called
papillae. The papillae are of four different types: circumvallate, fungiform, filiform and foliate. Hence, the
correct option is b.
Question 4. Label the different parts of a palate in the given figure?
Solution: In the given figure, ‘a’ represents the hard palate, ‘b’ represents the soft palate and ‘c’ represents the
uvula. Hard palate is the anterior part. Soft palate is the posterior part. Uvula is the extension of the soft palate.

FAQs of Buccal Cavity

Question 1. The component of food which is digested in the buccal cavity?
Solution: Carbohydrates are commonly digested in the buccal cavity by the enzyme salivary amylase present
in the saliva. Amylase converts 30% of carbohydrates into monosaccharides at a pH of around 6.8.
Question 2. Which structures are present in the buccal cavity?
Solution: Buccal cavity contains three prominent structures and these are palate, tongue and teeth. Palate is
described as the roof of the buccal cavity. Tongue is a muscular organ that forms the floor of the mouth. Teeth
are the hard structures embedded in the sockets of the jaw bone.
Question 3. Write down the role of buccal cavity in the process of digestion of food?
Solution: The digestion of food starts in the mouth when we chew it. Mastication is the process of mixing food
with saliva with the help of tongue and teeth. This results in a bolus. The chemical digestion of carbohydrates
occurs in the buccal cavity. 30% of carbohydrates are converted into simpler units called monosaccharides via
salivary amylase.
Question 4. Which enzyme is responsible for chemical digestion in the buccal cavity?
Solution: Salivary amylase secreted by salivary glands is responsible for chemical digestion in the buccal
cavity. The carbohydrates are digested into disaccharides and monosaccharides by amylase.