Understanding the Oral Cavity's Structure The oral cavity is located beneath the hard palate and includes structures like teeth, tongue, and uvula. It serves as a space for both mechanical digestion through chewing with teeth and chemical digestion initiated by saliva containing enzymes such as salivary amylase. The vestibule area between lips and gums also plays a role in this process.
Exploring Tooth Anatomy Teeth are categorized into deciduous (baby) teeth that total 20 before being replaced by adult counterparts during growth. Adult dentition consists of incisors for cutting, canines for tearing, premolars replacing baby molars, and additional molars including wisdom teeth which often need removal due to size constraints in modern jaws.
Role of Salivary Glands in Digestion Saliva production is crucial for effective digestion; it contains antibacterial properties along with digestive enzymes from three pairs of salivary glands: parotid (30% saliva), submandibular (65%), and sublingual (5%). Each gland has specific ducts facilitating saliva release into the mouth to aid food breakdown.