Mastication Health Dictionary

An important muscle of MASTICATION that extends from the zygomatic arch in the cheek to the mandible or jawbone. It acts by closing the jaw.... masseter

A muscular, flexible organ in the floor of the mouth that is composed of a mass of muscles covered by a mucous membrane. The muscles are attached to the mandible (lower jaw) and hyoid bone above the larynx. Tiny nodules called papillae stick out from the tongue’s upper surface, giving it a rough texture. Between the papillae at the sides and base of the tongue are the taste buds. Taste signals are picked up by nerve fibres from 1 of 4 cranial nerves, and impulses then travel to the brain. The tongue plays an essential part in mastication, swallowing, and speech.... tongue

to push the food between the teeth for mastication, and then mould it into a bolus preparatory to swallowing;

as the organ of the sense of taste, and as an organ provided with a delicate sense of touch; and

to play a part in the production of speech. (See VOICE AND SPEECH.) It is usual to classify any taste as: sweet, bitter,

salt and acid, since ?ner distinctions are largely dependent upon the sense of smell. The loss of keenness in taste brought about by a cold in the head, or even by holding the nose while swallowing, is well known. Sweet tastes seem to be best appreciated by the tip of the tongue, acids on its edges, and bitters at the back. There are probably di?erent nerve-?bres and end-organs for the di?erent varieties of taste. Many tastes depend upon the ordinary sensations of the tongue.

Like other sensations, taste can be very highly educated for a time, as in tea-tasters and wine-tasters, but this special adaptation is lost after some years.... functions the chief uses of the tongue are:

The ?uid secreted by the SALIVARY GLANDS into the mouth. The ingestion of food stimulates saliva production. Saliva contains mucus and an ENZYME known as PTYALIN, which changes starch into dextrose and maltose (see DIGESTION); also many cells of di?erent types. About 750 millilitres are produced daily.

The principal function of saliva is to aid in the initial processes of digestion, and it is essential for the process of mastication (chewing), whereby food is reduced to an homogeneous mass before being swallowed. In addition, the ptyalin in the saliva initiates the digestion of starch in the food.

An excessive ?ow of saliva known as salivation occurs as the result of taking certain drugs. Salivation also occurs as the result of irritation in the mouth – as for instance, in the teething child – and from DYSPEPSIA. De?ciency of saliva is known as XEROSTOMIA.... saliva

An abnormal narrowing of the (lower) gullet.

Causes: injury, scarring by chemical medicines, drugs swallowed with insufficient water, antacids for heartburn, piping-hot tea. It is important to exclude oesophageal cancer.

Those with ‘gullet-reflex’ such as the elderly, are at risk. A relationship exists between toothlessness and this condition. Eating of soft fibreless foods does not expand the tube down which food passes. Alternatives. Horsetail, Irish Moss. Echinacea. Marshmallow. Goldenseal. Sarsaparilla. Calendula (Marigold), Chamomile.

Tea. Formula – equal parts, Horsetail, Chamomile, Marshmallow. 1 heaped teaspoon to each cup boiling water; infuse 5-15 minutes. 1 cup thrice daily.

Tablets/capsules. Echinacea, Goldenseal, Sarsaparilla, Chamomile.

Formula. Irish Moss 1; Comfrey 1; Calendula half; Goldenseal quarter. Dose – Liquid extracts: 1-2 teaspoons. Tinctures: 2-3 teaspoons. Powders: 750mg (three 00 capsules or half a teaspoon) in water before meals.

Diet. High fibre. Raw carrots with prolonged mastication. Hot drinks are potentially damaging. ... oesophageal stricture

The oral cavity, which breaks food down for swallowing (see mastication) and is used in breathing. In addition, it helps to convert sound vibrations from the larynx into speech.... mouth

Hard, bone-like projections set in the jaws and surrounded by the gums.

The teeth are used for mastication, help to form speech, and give shape to the face.

At the centre of each tooth is the pulp, which contains blood vessels and nerves and is surrounded by hard dentine.

The part of the tooth above the gum, the crown, is covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the body.

The roots of the tooth, which fit into the jawbone, are covered by bone-like cementum.

Humans have 32 permanent teeth, which erupt after the primary teeth are lost.

These teeth comprise chisel-shaped, biting incisors; sharp, pointed canines; grinding premolars; and larger grinding molars.... teeth

n. a muscle of the cheek that has its origin in the maxilla and mandible (jaw bones). It is responsible for compressing the cheek and is important in mastication.... buccinator

spasmodic contractions of muscles, especially the muscles of mastication, in response to nerve stimulation (e.g. by tapping). It is a characteristic sign of hypocalcaemia (see tetany). [A. Trousseau (1801–67), French physician]... trousseau’s sign