The mouth and esophagus are the beginning of the digestive system. In the mouth, saliva produced by salivary glands in response to smelling and tasting food begins to break down starches. The esophagus carries food from the mouth to the stomach through peristalsis. Saliva and the enzyme amylase in both the mouth and stomach help to break down starches into simpler sugars in preparation for absorption in the small intestine.

1. MOUTH / ESOPHAGUS
By: Jazi Al-Thani & Shahad Younis

2. FUNCTION
 The mouth is the beginning of the digestive system, digestion starts
there. The smell of food triggers the salivary glands in your mouth to
create saliva, causing your mouth to water. When you actually taste the
food the saliva increases. Once you start breaking the food down into
pieces small enough to be digested, other mechanisms come into play.
More saliva is produced to begin the process of breaking down food into
a form your body can absorb and use.

3. STRUCTURE

4. FUNCTION
 The esophagus is the portion
of the digestive tract that receives
the food from your mouth, and
carries food to the stomach. Its
role is to get the food from the
pharynx to the stomach.

5. STRUCTURE
 The food enters the mouth and
the mouth then starts to form
saliva. The food then travels to the
pharynx, which is like a passage way
to the esophagus. The esophagus
then takes all the food, liquids, and
saliva down to the stomach.

6. ENZYMES
 The enzyme amylase is found
in the mouth, as well as the
stomach and small intestine.
Amylase is the main enzyme used
to break down food.

7. WHAT IS DIGESTED AND
HOW?
 Starches, such as potatoes,
pastas, and different snack foods
(not sugars) are digested by the
saliva and amylase in the mouth.

8. BIBLIOGRAPHY
 http://www.oncologychannel.com/onc/Images/esophagus.gif
 http://flipper.diff.org/app/pathways/info/2811
 http://biology.about.com/library/organs/blpathodigest5.htm
 http://umm.edu/programs/gi-
hepatology/services/barretts/normal-function
 http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-system