Essay On Saliva

The mouth is the first-place digestion occurs. In order that the surface area is increased, the teeth crush and grind the food into smaller pieces. As the tongue presses the food against the hard palate of the mouth, saliva mixes in and the food is now described as a bolus. Saliva, produced by the salivary glands, contains mucus combine the bolus and lubricate it, lysozymes to kill any bacteria, and amylase that breaks down starch. However, only a minute amount of starch is actually broken down. Fat-digesting enzymes are also produced by the salivary glands and are called lingual lipase. After the bolus has been mixed with saliva, then swallowing occurs, which moves the bolus to the pharynx and then the esophagus, that leads to the stomach.

The chyme follows the slow path through the circular folds of the small intestines. The chyme, which now mixes with digestive juices, flows to the villi, which produces hormones and cells with more digestive enzymes that helps the food digest faster. The small intestines absorb any calcium, magnesium, iron, glucose, amino acids, fats, vitamins, water, alcohol, and the bile acids of the food. The liver, gallbladder, and the pancreas are considered the accessory organs in the digestive system. These organs aid in the digestion when the food is in the small intestines. The liver secretes bile, which is a yellowish greenish substance that emulsifies fat and helps with fat absorption and digestion. Bile is secreted to the duodenum and encircles and returns to the liver. In order to protect the small intestines from the acid in the chyme, the pancreas secretes pancreatic juices, which contain sodium bicarbonate that neutralizes the acid. Other pancreatic digestive enzymes that are released are amylase, which digest starch, lipase, which digests fat, and proteases to help digest the protein. Many regulatory hormones are also released to help with proper