Chewing: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 03:00, 11 December 2024

The act of using the teeth to grind food in the mouth

A macaque chewing.

Chewing, also known as mastication, is the process by which food is crushed and ground by teeth. It is the first step of digestion and increases the surface area of foods to allow more efficient breakdown by enzymes.

Process[edit]

Chewing is a complex process that involves the coordinated action of the jaw, teeth, tongue, and cheeks. The process begins when food is placed in the mouth and the teeth begin to break it down into smaller pieces. The saliva produced by the salivary glands mixes with the food to form a bolus, which can be easily swallowed.

The muscles of mastication, which include the masseter, temporalis, and pterygoid muscles, are responsible for the movement of the jaw during chewing. These muscles are controlled by the trigeminal nerve, which is the fifth cranial nerve.

Functions[edit]

Chewing serves several important functions:

Mechanical digestion: By breaking down food into smaller pieces, chewing increases the surface area available for enzymatic digestion.
Mixing with saliva: Saliva contains enzymes such as amylase that begin the chemical digestion of carbohydrates.
Formation of the bolus: Chewing helps to form a cohesive bolus that can be easily swallowed.
Stimulation of taste: Chewing releases flavors from food, stimulating the taste buds and enhancing the sensory experience of eating.

Chewing in Animals[edit]

File:Water buffalo chewing cud - 01.ogv

A water buffalo chewing cud.

Chewing is not unique to humans; many animals chew their food. Herbivores, such as cows and buffalo, often chew their food multiple times through a process known as rumination, or "chewing the cud." This allows them to break down tough plant materials more effectively.

Chewing Gum[edit]

File:Trodden on chewing gum2.jpg

Chewing gum on a sidewalk.

Chewing gum is a popular product that is chewed for flavor and enjoyment rather than nutrition. It is made from a gum base, sweeteners, flavorings, and sometimes softeners. Chewing gum can help to freshen breath and may have some dental benefits, such as increasing saliva flow and reducing plaque.

Health Implications[edit]

Chewing has several health implications. Proper chewing can aid in digestion and nutrient absorption. However, excessive or improper chewing can lead to temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) and other dental issues.

Also see[edit]

References[edit]

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-Biting and grinding food in your mouth so it becomes soft enough to swallow.
+{{Short description|The act of using the teeth to grind food in the mouth}}
+{{For|the use of chewing gum|Chewing gum}}
+[[File:Macaca arctoides.png|thumb|A macaque chewing.]]
-=== Chewing Cycle ===
+'''Chewing''', also known as '''mastication''', is the process by which food is crushed and ground by teeth. It is the first step of [[digestion]] and increases the surface area of foods to allow more efficient breakdown by [[enzymes]].
-Murphy summarized six phases in the chewing cycle. They are:
-==== Preparatory phase ====
-In this phase the tongue positions the food within the oral cavity and the mandible deviates towards the chewing side.
-==== Food contact phase ====
-This is a phase of momentary hesitation in movement that occurs due to triggering of sensory receptors due to food contact.
-==== Crushing phase ====
-This starts with high velocity and slows down as food gets crushed. Gibbs in 1969 observed that when the central incisor
-is about 5 mm from closure, the jaw motion is stabilized at the working condyle and the following final closing stroke is guided by this ‘braced’ condyle.
-==== Phase of tooth contact ====
-With slight change in direction without delay. Here all the reflex muscular adjustments for tooth contact are made.
-==== Grinding phase ====
-In this phase, there is grinding movement guided by the maxillary and mandibular occlusal tables.
-==== Centric occlusion ====
-The mandible returns to a single terminal point before it goes into the preparatory phase.
-Masticatory frequency is variable. It is usually one to two strokes per second. When the chewing cycle is recorded in the sagittal plane using a pantograph, a characteristic ‘teardrop tracing’ is obtained. When the mandible moves along the posterior incline (PI) of the teardrop, food is sliced by the cuspal inclines. The apex of the tracing is formed when the opposing teeth are in cusp to fossa relationship (CO) and trituration of food occurs. Finally as the mandible moves to make the anterior
+==Process==
-incline (AI) of the teardrop, dispersion of churned food along the sluiceways occur.
+Chewing is a complex process that involves the coordinated action of the [[jaw]], [[teeth]], [[tongue]], and [[cheeks]]. The process begins when food is placed in the mouth and the [[teeth]] begin to break it down into smaller pieces. The [[saliva]] produced by the [[salivary glands]] mixes with the food to form a [[bolus]], which can be easily swallowed.
-{{stub}}
+The [[muscles of mastication]], which include the [[masseter]], [[temporalis]], and [[pterygoid]] muscles, are responsible for the movement of the jaw during chewing. These muscles are controlled by the [[trigeminal nerve]], which is the fifth cranial nerve.
-{{dictionary-stub1}}
+==Functions==
+Chewing serves several important functions:
+* '''Mechanical digestion''': By breaking down food into smaller pieces, chewing increases the surface area available for [[enzymatic digestion]].
+* '''Mixing with saliva''': Saliva contains enzymes such as [[amylase]] that begin the chemical digestion of carbohydrates.
+* '''Formation of the bolus''': Chewing helps to form a cohesive bolus that can be easily swallowed.
+* '''Stimulation of taste''': Chewing releases flavors from food, stimulating the [[taste buds]] and enhancing the sensory experience of eating.
+==Chewing in Animals==
+[[File:Water buffalo chewing cud - 01.ogv|thumb|A water buffalo chewing cud.]]
+Chewing is not unique to humans; many animals chew their food. Herbivores, such as [[cows]] and [[buffalo]], often chew their food multiple times through a process known as [[rumination]], or "chewing the cud." This allows them to break down tough plant materials more effectively.
+==Chewing Gum==
+[[File:Trodden on chewing gum2.jpg|thumb|Chewing gum on a sidewalk.]]
+Chewing gum is a popular product that is chewed for flavor and enjoyment rather than nutrition. It is made from a gum base, sweeteners, flavorings, and sometimes softeners. Chewing gum can help to freshen breath and may have some dental benefits, such as increasing saliva flow and reducing plaque.
+==Health Implications==
+Chewing has several health implications. Proper chewing can aid in digestion and nutrient absorption. However, excessive or improper chewing can lead to [[temporomandibular joint disorder]] (TMJ) and other dental issues.
+==Also see==
+* [[Digestion]]
+* [[Saliva]]
+* [[Temporomandibular joint disorder]]
+* [[Chewing gum]]
+* [[Mastication (food)]]
+==References==
+{{Reflist}}
+[[Category:Digestion]]
+[[Category:Oral physiology]]