MASTICATION AND

DEGLUTITION
Mastication
Is the process whereby ingested food is cut or
crushed into small pieces mixed with saliva and
formed into bolus in preparation for swallowing.
Why Mastication or Chewing is
Importance?
Deglutition
Is the act of swallowing through which a food or
liquid is transported from the mouth through
the pharynx and esophagus into the stomach
• The process of swallowing can be divided into 3
stages :
1.Oral Stage
2.Pharyngeal stage
3. Esophageal stage
 1.Oral Stage

Total swallow time from oral cavity to

stomach is no more than 20 seconds
The process begins with contractions of the
tongue and striated muscles of mastication.
In the oral phase, a formed bolus is
positioned in the middle of the tongue. The
bolus is then pressed firmly against the
tonsillar pillars, triggering the pharyngeal
phase.
The cerebellum controls output for the
motor nuclei of cranial nerves V (trigeminal),
VII (facial), and XII (hypoglossal).
 2.Pharyngeal stage
 The pharyngeal phase of swallowing is
the shortest but is the most complex.
 > In this phase the soft palate elevates
closing off the nasopharynx and
preventing Nasopharyngeal
regurgitation.
 > When the pharyngeal phase begins,
other activities such as chewing,
breathing, coughing and vomiting are
concomitantly inhibited.
 3. Esophageal stage

-Thebolus is propelled about 25 cm from

the cricopharyngeus through the thoracic
esophagus via peristaltic contractions.

The bolus is propelled downwards at a rate

of 3- 5 cm/s.

The lower esophageal sphincter relaxes and

the bolus moves into the gastric cardia.