What is the difference between chemical and physical digestion in the mouth?

Answer 1

Chemical digestion in the mouth involves the breakdown of food through enzymatic reactions, primarily using saliva, which contains the enzyme amylase that begins the digestion of carbohydrates. In contrast, physical digestion refers to the mechanical process of chewing, where teeth break food into smaller pieces, increasing its surface area for enzymes to act upon. While chemical digestion transforms food at the molecular level, physical digestion prepares food for more efficient chemical breakdown later in the digestive process.