By: Abduljabbar Hamid Jabbar

University of Baghdad-College Of Medicine

M. B. Ch. B
By: Abduljabbar Hamid Jabbar
University of Baghdad-College Of Medicine
M. B. Ch. B
Mastication (chewing): Is the process by which food taken into the
mouth is chewed by the teeth.

• The chewing reflex is controlled by nuclei in the medulla and

cerebral cortex. Most of the muscles of chewing are innervated
by the motor branch of the 5 th cranial nerve (trigeminal N).

• Voluntary contraction of the muscles of chewing is in response

to the presence of a bolus of food in the mouth compresses the
bolus against the linings of the mouth and push the food to
come in contact with the buccal receptors.

• The contact of food with buccal receptors causes reflex

inhibition of the muscles of mastication, which allows the lower
jaw to drop.

• The drop in turn initiates a stretch reflex of the jaw muscles (the
masseter, medial pterygoid, and temporalis muscles) that leads
to rebound contraction.

• This automatically raises the jaw to cause closure of the teeth,

but again, it also compresses the bolus against the linings of
the mouth and pushes the food to come in contact with the
buccal receptors, which inhibit the jaw muscles once again and
allowing the jaw to drop and rebound another time, and this is
repeated again and again.
Chewing is important because:

[1] Chewing breaks down the indigestible cellulose membranes around the nutrient portions of food before the food can be
utilized.

[2] Chewing increases the surface area of food so the rate of digestion of food by the digestive enzymes is increased.

[3] Chewing grinds the food to a very fine particulate consistency prevents excoriation of the GIT and increases the ease
with which food is swallowed and emptied from the stomach into the small intestine and thence into all succeeding
segments of the gut.

[4] Chewing mixes the food with salivary gland secretions which initiates the process of starch digestion (by salivary
amylase) and to much less extent of lipid digestion (by lingual lipase) and to lubricate and soften the bolus of food, making
it easier to swallow.

[5] Chewing brings food into contact with taste receptors and releases odors that stimulate the olfactory receptors. The
sensations generated by these receptors increase the pleasure of eating and initiate gastric secretions.
Salivary glands: The daily normal secretion of saliva is between 500—1500 ml. Saliva is secreted from the glands of
salivation, the parotids (25%), submandibular glands (70%), and sublingual glands (5%). In addition, there are many small
buccal glands. In comparison to plasma, saliva is:
• Hypotonic.
• Contains higher concentration of K ions and bicarbonate ions and lower concentrations of Na and Cl ions.
• Saliva has a pH 6.0 - 7.4.

HCO3 - Iodide , Ca+

The structure of each gland is similar to a bunch of grapes. The acinus is lined with acinar cells and secretes initial saliva
which is a plasma-like solution (isotonic) containing amylase and/or mucin. A branching duct system is lined with columnar
epithelial cell, which modify the initial saliva. Acinar cells secrete initial (primary) saliva which is a plasma-like solution
(isotonic) containing amylase and/or mucin and then modified by the ductal epithelial cells of the gland by:
Active absorption of Na+ (3Na+ -2K+ ATPase),
Passive reabsorption of Cl ions (due to electrical gradient) in exchange to HCO3 - ions which are secreted actively (Cl- -
HCO3 - secondary active counter-transport).
Saliva is an important route of iodide excretion; its concentration in saliva is 20–100 times that in plasma.
It is saturated with calcium ions; calcium salts are laid down as plaque on the teeth.
Saliva consists of two major types of protein secretions:

1. Serous secretion (watery saliva) containing ptyalin (α-amylase which is an enzyme for
digesting starches) and electrolytes.

2. Mucous secretion containing mucin (glycoprotein) for lubricating purposes.

The parotid glands secrete entirely the serous type.
The submandibular and sublingual glands secrete both the serous type and mucus.
The buccal glands secrete only mucus

Therefore, the composition of saliva varies with the salivary flow rate:

[1] At the lowest flow rates, saliva has the lowest osmolarity (about 100 mOsm/L) and lowest
Na+ , and Cl-concentrations, but has the highest K+ and HCO3 - ion concentration.

[2] At the highest flow rates, saliva is most like the initial secretion from the acinus and its
composition is closet to that of plasma.
Control of salivary secretion: Salivary glands are controlled by
salivatory nuclei which are located at the juncture of the medulla
and pons.

• Mainly through parasympathetic fibers through 7th cranial nerve

(Facial N) and 9th cranial nerve (Glossopharyngeal N) which leads
to abundant watery saliva rich in enzymes.

• And to less extent by sympathetic nervous signals originates from

the superior cervical ganglia and then travels along blood vessels
to the salivary glands which leads to scanty thick saliva rich in
mucus. This is why the mouth may feel sticky or dry under
conditions of stress.

Under basal conditions, saliva is almost entirely of the mucus type

and is secreted all the time except during sleep when the secretion
becomes very little. Unlike the autonomic nervous system
elsewhere in the body, sympathetic and parasympathetic responses
in the salivary glands are not antagonistic.
Salivatory nuclei are excited or inhibited by :

[A] Signals from the mouth: Taste (especially the sour taste is excitatory, bitter taste is inhibitory) and tactile stimuli
(especially smooth objects is excitatory) from the tongue and other areas of the mouth.

[B] Signals from higher centers of CNS: Salivation can also be stimulated or inhibited by impulses arriving in the salivatory
nuclei from higher centers of CNS. For instance, when a person smells or sees favorite foods, salivation is greater than
when disliked food is smelled or seen.

[C] Signals from GIT: Salivation also occurs in response to reflex originating in the stomach and upper intestine particularly
when very irritating foods are swallowed or when a person is nauseated. The swallowed saliva may help to remove the
irritating factor in the GIT by diluting or neutralizing the irritant substances.

Saliva production is decreased (via inhibition of the parasympathetic nervous system) by sleep, dehydration, fear, and
anticholinergic drugs (such as atropine).
Functions of saliva:
[A] Protection of the mouth by: by Cooling hot foods and By maintaining healthy oral tissues. The mouth is loaded with
pathogenic bacteria that can easily destroy tissues and can also cause dental caries. However, saliva helps prevent the
harmful effects of bacteria by:

• Continuous washing away the pathogenic bacteria as well as the food particles that provide the bacteria with metabolic
support.
• Saliva contains many factors that can kill bacteria such as thiocyanate ions, proteolytic enzymes, and antibodies (IgA).

[B] Digestion of starch by α-amylase (which is ultimately inactivated by the low pH of the stomach), and fat by lingual
lipase.

[C] Lubrication of food and making swallowing easier, and moisten the mouth, facilitating speech. It also neutralizes any
gastric acid that refluxes from stomach into the lower esophagus (heartburn)
Xerostomia is defined as dry mouth resulting from reduced or absent saliva flow. Xerostomia is not a disease,
but it may be a symptom of various medical conditions, a side effect of a radiation to the head and neck, or a
side effect of a wide variety of medications.

Xerostomia is a common complaint affecting approximately 20 percent of the elderly.

Thank You
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