Teeth & Digestion (Cambridge O Level Biology)

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Types of Human Teeth

  • Mechanical digestion is the breakdown of food into smaller pieces without chemical change to the food molecules
  • It is mainly carried out by the chewing action of the teeth, the churning action of the stomach and the emulsification of fats by bile in the duodenum
  • Teeth are held firmly in the bone of the jaw
    • They are used for chewing to increase the surface area of the food so that it can be exposed to saliva and other digestive juices and broken down more quickly
  • The differing shapes and sizes of teeth enable them to perform slightly different functions:
    • Incisors - chisel-shaped for biting and cutting
    • Canines - pointed for tearing, holding and biting
    • Premolars and molars - larger, flat surfaces with ridges at the edges for chewing and grinding up food

Types of Teeth Diagram

Types of teeth

Types of teeth

Structure of a Tooth

Structure of a Tooth Diagram

Structure of a typical tooth

Structure of a typical tooth

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Phil

Author: Phil

Expertise: Biology

Phil has a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Birmingham, followed by an MBA from Manchester Business School. He has 15 years of teaching and tutoring experience, teaching Biology in schools before becoming director of a growing tuition agency. He has also examined Biology for one of the leading UK exam boards. Phil has a particular passion for empowering students to overcome their fear of numbers in a scientific context.