Question

What is the role of saliva in the digestion of food?

Answer 1

Hint: A salivary gland is a tissue present in the mouth which produces saliva. They are considered as exocrine glands and are accessory digestive organs as they help in the digestion process.

Complete answer:
The salivary glands are located in the areas around the mouth and are responsible for production of saliva. They bear ducts which are connected to both the upper and lower jaws. This ensures the complete lining of the internal layer of the mouth with saliva when some food is present in the mouth.
Saliva is a mixture of water and other substances like mucus, digestive enzymes and antibacterial substances.
The saliva has many important functions within the digestive system. The wetness from the saliva helps our mouth moist and helps to lubricate the digestive tract. This ensures that the digestive tract functions properly and smoothly. When eating food and chewing it, the saliva helps to form a ball or bolus of food which passes down the stomach or alimentary canal. In addition to this, the enzyme present in saliva is amylase and it is able to break down the starch in our food to simpler sugars that can be digested easily. Amylase, formerly known as ptyalin, helps in the breakdown of carbohydrates into simpler compounds so that it can be easily assimilated.
The breakdown of the food into simpler nature facilitates the movement of food from the oesophagus to the alimentary canal and it helps in the digestive process.

Additional information:
Saliva has many protective functions as well such as it helps to protect the teeth and gums from the action of the enzymes from the food. It also protects the teeth during chewing and grinding of the food. Due to its antibacterial properties, it protects the gums and teeth.

Note: The saliva is produced by the salivary glands present in the mouth and helps in the process of digesting food by facilitating the chewing and breaking the food into smaller compounds.