What is mastication? Explain about the teeth used in mastication.

Mastication is the scientific term for the process of chewing food in the mouth. It's the first step in the digestive process where food is broken down into smaller pieces to make it easier to swallow and to increase its surface area for enzymes to act upon during digestion.

Teeth play a crucial role in mastication. They come in different shapes and sizes, each serving a specific function in the chewing process:

Incisors: These are the front teeth used for cutting and biting into food. They have sharp, chisel-like edges that help in tearing and slicing food.

Canines: Positioned next to the incisors, canines are pointed teeth used for tearing and ripping food. They're particularly helpful for tearing into meat or other tough foods.

Premolars (bicuspids): These teeth have flat surfaces with ridges that are ideal for grinding and crushing food. They're located behind the canines and are important for breaking down food into smaller pieces.

Molars: Situated at the back of the mouth, molars are the strongest teeth and are designed for grinding and crushing food into a fine paste. They have broad, flat surfaces with multiple cusps, which enhance their ability to crush tough foods like nuts and fibrous vegetables.

During mastication, the teeth work in coordination with the tongue and saliva. The tongue helps manipulate the food within the mouth, positioning it between the teeth for effective chewing, while saliva moistens the food to facilitate the chewing process and begins the breakdown of carbohydrates through the action of enzymes like amylase. Overall, mastication is a crucial part of the digestive process, allowing the body to extract nutrients efficiently from ingested food.