The oral cavity is responsible for the mechanical break-down of food. As food enters the mouth, the teeth begin to chew and the tongue moves the food around. The food particles mix with saliva, which contains digestive enzymes, and becomes slippery. This enables the food to become easier to swallow, allowing it an easier passage as it move into the pharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestines, and finally the colon, which allows it to be evacuated from the body through the rectum. The oral cavity is important to the digestive system because it allows the food to be broken down into smaller pieces in order for it to enter the digestive system easily and allow for the digestive system to process it much easier. Without this process, it would be
