The Functions Of The Mouth

The mouth is the beginning of the digestive tract; and, in fact, digestion starts here when taking the first bite of food. Chewing breaks the food into pieces that are more easily digested, while saliva mixes with food to begin the process of breaking it down into a form your body can absorb and use.

Eating. With a healthy mouth and teeth, we can eat a wide variety of foods that are good for us. Healthy, strong teeth help us chew our foods well, which aids in digestion.

Speaking. The teeth and the other parts of our mouth are used to make the proper sounds for many letters of the alphabet. They help us speak clearly.

Appearance. The mouth is used when we smile or use other expressions. The teeth help give shape and form to our face. With a healthy mouth, we look good to ourselves and to others.

The salivary glands produce saliva containing an enzyme which starts off the digestive process and which also helps the food slide down the esophagus easily.