Question

The picture below shows the teeth of a human adult. Study the diagram and answer the questions.

(a) The breaking up of food into small pieces by the teeth helps in ________(mechanical or chemical) digestion.
(b) Name the kinds of teeth :
(c) How many teeth does an adult human have?
(d) How many premolar teeth are in each jaw?
(e) How many molar teeth are in each jaw?
(f) Which teeth are best for biting? (Incisors or Molars)
(g) Which teeth are best for grinding food?

Answer 1

Part (a):

Physical Digestion:

1. Teeth break up the large food into smaller pieces by chewing or grinding the food.
2. The process of physical breakdown of food before swallowing is called mechanical digestion.

Part (b):

Types of teeth:

Human adults have four types of teeth which are incisors, canine, premolars and molars.

Part (c):

1. Human adults have a total of 32 teeth made up of four types of teeth.
2. There are 16 teeth in both the upper jaw and lower jaw.

Part (d):

In both upper and lower jaws of an adult human there are 4 premolars.

Part (e):

In both the jaws there are 6 molars in an adult human.

Part (f):

Biting or Cutting food:

1. The type of teeth which help with biting or cutting the food for ingestion are incisors.
2. There are 8 incisors (4 in each jaw) present at the front which helps with biting the food.

Part (g):

Grinding food:

1. Both the premolars and molars are teeth best for grinding food.
2. Premolars and molars are used for chewing food for breaking the food into smaller particles through mechanical digestion.