The Mouth's Contribution to the Digestive Sytem
The first stage of digestion takes place in the mouth. Salivary glands located under the tongue and in the back of the mouth, produce saliva in the mouth. Enzymes in the saliva start the chemical digestion of food. Amylase starts the breakdown of carbohydrates and starch into disaccharides, while salivary lipase begins the breakdown of fats. The optimal pH for the use of these enzymes in the mouth is neutral which is around a pH of 7.