| A | B |
|---|
| ingestion | food material taken into the mouth |
| digestion | process of breaking food down chemically and mechanically |
| absorption | passing nutrients into the bloodstream through the lining of the gastrointestinal tract |
| elimination | compacting and expelling solid waste from the body |
| mouth | opening to the digestive system |
| hard palate | anterior bony portion of the top of the oral cavity |
| uvula | tissue that hangs off the end of the soft palate and aids in sound production |
| mastication | chewing |
| deglutition | swallowing |
| bolus | food mixed with saliva that is prepared to be swallowed |
| gingiva | fleshy tissue that surrounds the sockets of the teeth; gums |
| enamel | hard substance that covers the upper portion of the tooth |
| salivary glands | structures that secrete saliva to moisten food, cleanse the oral cavity, and begin the digestion process |
| pharynx | throat; passageway for both air and food that connects the nasal and oral cavities to the trachea and esophagus |
| esophagus | tube that leads from the pharynx to the stomach |
| peristalsis | wave-like circular contractions of a tubular organ |
| stomach | sac-like organ that churns food into chyme to prepare for absorption |
| body | middle portion of the stomach |
| pylorus | area of the stomach near the pyloric sphincter |
| chyme | food that has been broken down and prepared for nutrients to be extracted |
| duodenum | beginning portion of the small intestine; location for the addition of fluids from the accessory organs |
| jejunum | middle portion of the small intestine that secretes digestive enzymes |
| ileum | final and longest portion of the small intestine where nutrient absorption takes place |
| cecum | first part of the large intestine |
| ascending colon | portion of the colon that travels upwards along the right side of the body |
| transverse colon | portion of the colon that travels across the body |
| descending colon | portion of the colon that travels down the left side of the body |
| sigmoid colon | portion of the colon that attaches to the rectum |
| rectum | last section of the large intestine that attaches to the anus |
| anus | lower opening of the digestive tract; has 2 sphincters |
| liver | largest gland of the body; produces bile |
| gallbladder | storage location for excess bile produced by the liver |
| pancreas | long flat gland that secretes hormones (such as insulin), as well as digestive enzymes and neutralizing fluids |
| gastroenterologist | diagnoses and treats disorders of the stomach and intestines |
| proctologist | diagnoses and treats disorders of the colon, rectum, and anus |
| lips | structures at the front of the oral cavity that hold food in mouth and aid in breathing and speaking |
| cheeks | structures that form the lateral walls of the oral cavity |
| soft palate | flexible posterior portion of the top of the oral cavity; closes off nasal cavity during swallowing |
| tongue | freely moving muscle in the oral cavity that moves food and aids in speech |
| papillae | small raised areas; contain taste buds on the tongue |
| tonsils | masses of lymphatic tissue surrounding the oral cavity |
| teeth | structures that tear, cut and grind and chew food so it can be swallowed |
| amylase | enzyme that breaks down starch |
| lipase | enzyme that breaks down fat |
| epiglottis | flap of tissue that covers the larynx (trachea) during swallowing |
| lower esophageal (cardiac) sphincter | ring of muscle that controls the flow of food between the esophagus and the stomach |
| pyloric sphincter | ring of muscle that controls the flow of chyme from the stomach to the small intestine |
| villi | small projections from the wall of the small intestine that are the site of nutrient absorption |
| small intestine | structure that finishes digestion and absorbs nutrients |
| large intestine | structure that reabsorbs water and prepares wastes for excretion |
| dentist | specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the oral cavity |
| orthodontist | branch of dentistry that treats dental and facial irregularities |
| periodontist | branch of dentistry that treats diseases of the tissues surrounding the teeth |
| mouth, esophagus, stomach | organs of the upper GI tract |
| intestines, rectum, anus | organs of the lower GI tract |
| liver, gallbladder, pancreas | accessory organs of digestion |
| bile | greenish-yellow fluid that breaks apart large fat molecules so they can be digested; made of cholesterol, bile acids and pigments |
| bilirubin | pigment released by the breakdown of hemoglobin from red blood cells |
| common bile duct | shared tube that carries bile from the liver and gallbladder to the duodenum |
