Question

What is the role of saliva in digestion?

Answer 1

Saliva: It is a thick transparent liquid secreted by the salivary glands present in the buccal cavity.

Role of saliva in digestion:

1. Saliva gets mixed with the food eaten and forms a bolus as we chew the food in our mouths. This helps in the lubrication of food and easy passage of the chewed food through the oesophagus to reach the stomach for further digestion.
2. Saliva also contains an enzyme known as salivary amylase which is known to break down the starch or complex carbohydrates in the food to simple sugars such as maltose and dextrin.