Sharp teeth at the front which cut food. Pointed teeth which tear the food.
PREMOLARS Flat teeth which grind the food. MOLARS
Large, flat teeth at the back are also used for grinding.
Activity Look carefully at the teeth in the three animal skulls shown. What type of diet do you think these animals have? Explain your answers.
1.
2.
3.
Chemical digestion in the mouth The sight of food or even the thought of it can make our mouths water, producing a liquid called saliva. We produce about one litre of saliva each day. Saliva contains an enzyme called salivary amylase. Amylase breaks down starch into a sugar called maltose.
STARCH Salivary
amylase An enzyme produced in the mouth which breaks down starch into maltose.
SALIVARY AMYLASE
MALTOSE
Fig. 7 The enzyme in saliva, salivary amylase, breaks down starch into maltose.