Question

Define digestion. Explain the process of digestion in the buccal cavity.

Answer 1

Hint: The digestive system begins with the buccal cavity and ends with the anus. The buccal cavity is the first site for carrying out digestive processes. Very few substances get digested at this site.

Complete answer:
Digestion is a physicochemical process involved in the conversion of complex chemical substances of food into simple substances so that they can be absorbed by the system.
The food we eat enters the mouth or buccal cavity. It has teeth, tongue and salivary glands. The teeths are responsible for the physical digestion of food resulting into small pieces by chewing and grinding it. The salivary glands aid in the chemical digestion of food with the help of enzymes.
The buccal cavity performs two functions:
-Mastication of food
-Facilitation of swallowing
The process of digestion in buccal cavity is as follows:
-Carbohydrate digestion: Starch we consume through our food is converted into maltose, isomaltose, and limit dextrin by the action of salivary amylases present in the buccal cavity. Approx. 30% of starch is digested in the buccal cavity.
-Protein digestion: No protein digestion occurs in buccal cavity due to the non-availability of enzymes for protein digestion.
-Fat digestion: Lingual lipase is produced in the buccal cavity but it remains inactive since it requires an acidic medium to perform its digestive function. This enzyme acts on triglycerides.
-Nucleic acid digestion: No nucleic acids get digested in the buccal cavity due to the non-availability of enzymes.

Note: -Salivary amylase is also called ptyalin.
-Salivary amylase becomes inactive due to the highly acidic medium.
-Lingual lipase is produced by Ebner’s gland.