University of Guayaquil

School of Odontology

Subject:
English III

Group # 7

Students:
Sebastián Barreno Yepez
Christian Garcia Villafuerte
Washington Rodriguez Chancay

Theme:
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Teacher:
Dr. Freddy Ramos Andrade

Course:
3/1

2016 – 2017
The faculty of dentistry at the University of Guayaquil will be the leading institution in
the management of specific knowledge Stomatognathic system and in relation to the
rest of the body. Through the training of human resources through continuing
education programs , postgraduate , research and prevention , promotion, health
protection and resolution of the problems that arise there , with high ethical values
and social commitmen

The Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Guayaquil, is the entity with a high
degree of academic excellence and interdisciplinary training in health, that through
teaching, research and community engagement, is responsible for the training of
professionals with high humanistic and scientific capacity to solve the problems of
dental buco and coordination of programs to improve the health and quality of life of
the whole community.
The graduate of the Pilot School of Dentistry at the University of Guayaquil has a
solid humanistic, scientific and technical training, accompanied by the highest ethical
and moral values highly responsible and committed to social development, duel of a
high spirit of dedication to service It contributes to the defense of human rights and
provides from their fields of action in defense of the rights of nature.
Its main field of action is the oral health as important to improve the biopsychosocial
process people contribute, through the prevention, diagnosis, treatment of the
problems that affect the mouth and oral cavity.

• Have knowledge updated about the different areas of dentistry, having the ability
to learn continuously and systematically.

• Maintain a positive attitude and receptive to new knowledge and technological

advances in each of the specialties of dentistry career.

• Being competent in a wide area of skills, including research, investigation,

analysis, problem solving, management of bio-materials and new equipment and
instruments, planning, communication, coordination and teamwork.

• Promote awareness on how to prevent oral disease, know what are the diseases
with systemic manifestations or loops are manifestations of the latter.

• Have a practice based on scientific evidence away from empiricism and

malpractice.
The career of dentistry at the University of Guayaquil, so dentists, as third-level
professionals with knowledge of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of
complications and disorders of the stomatognathic system, by using modern
instruments and dental equipment that allows them offer their patients
comprehensive oral health.

The dentist is a qualified professional to act on the bio-psycho-social complex of

children, adolescents, adults, disabled patients and pregnant women at risk in the
rehabilitation and maintenance of oral health, based on scientific evidence.

The dentist is a professional aware of their responsibility to society for which applies
concepts of biosecurity, ethics and professionalism to achieve the good life of the
community.

The dentist is a professional with the ability to manage and lead multidisciplinary
health teams, using technology and innovation.
 INDEX
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 1
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM .............................................................................................................................. 2
COMPONENTS ..................................................................................................................................... 3
MOUTH............................................................................................................................................ 3
PHARYNX ......................................................................................................................................... 4
ESOPHAGUS..................................................................................................................................... 5
STOMACH ........................................................................................................................................ 6
SMALL INTESTINE ............................................................................................................................ 6
LIVER AND GALLBLADDER ............................................................................................................... 7
PANCREAS ....................................................................................................................................... 7
LARGE INTESTINE ............................................................................................................................ 8
COLON (LARGE INTESTINE) ............................................................................................................. 8
RECTUM........................................................................................................................................... 9
ANUS ............................................................................................................................................. 10
FUNCTIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM ........................................................................................... 11
DIGESTION PROCESS ..................................................................................................................... 11
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM DISEASES ............................................................................................................ 13
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM GLOSSARY .......................................................................................................... 14
BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................................................................................................... 15
QUESTIONS ........................................................................................................................................ 15
 INTRODUCTION

The digestive system is a group of organs working together to convert food into
energy and basic nutrients to feed the entire body. Food passes through a long tube
inside the body known as the alimentary canal or the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract).
The alimentary canal is made up of the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, stomach,
small intestines, and large intestines. In addition to the alimentary canal, there are
several important accessory organs that help your body to digest food but do not
have food pass through them. Accessory organs of the digestive system include the
teeth, tongue, salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. To achieve the goal
of providing energy and nutrients to the body, six major functions take place in the
digestive system:

 Ingestion
 Secretion
 Mixing and movement
 Digestion
 Absorption
 Excretion

Your digestive system is uniquely constructed to perform its specialized function of

turning food into the energy you need to survive and packaging the residue for waste
disposal. To help you understand how the many parts of the digestive system work
together, here is an overview of the structure and function of this complex system.

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 DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
The digestive system is made up of the
gastrointestinal (GI) tract also called the
digestive tract and the liver, pancreas,
and gallbladder. The GI tract is a series
of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting
tube from the mouth to the anus. The
hollow organs that make up the GI tract
are the mouth, esophagus, stomach,
small intestine, large intestine which
includes the rectum and anus. Food
enters the mouth and passes to the anus
through the hollow organs of the GI tract.
The liver, pancreas, and gallbladder are
the solid organs of the digestive system.
The digestive system helps the body
digest food.

Bacteria in the GI tract, also called gut flora or microbiome, help with digestion. Parts
of the nervous and circulatory systems also play roles in the digestive process.
Together, a combination of nerves, hormones, bacteria, blood, and the organs of the
digestive system completes the complex task of digesting the foods and liquids a
person consumes each day.

In this system, the process of digestion has many stages, the first of which starts in
the mouth. Digestion involves the breakdown of food into smaller and smaller
components, until they can be absorbed and assimilated into the body.

To help you understand how the many parts of the digestive system work together,
here is an overview of the structure and function of this complex system.

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 COMPONENTS
There are several organs and other components involved in the digestion of food.
The organs known as the accessory digestive glands are the liver, gall bladder and
pancreas. Other components include the mouth, salivary glands, tongue, teeth and
epiglottis.

The largest structure of the digestive system is the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract).
This starts at the mouth and ends at the anus, covering a distance of about nine (9)
meters.

The largest part of the GI tract is the colon or large intestine. Water is absorbed here
and remaining waste matter is stored prior to defecation. Most of the digestion of
food takes place in the small intestine.

A major digestive organ is the stomach. Within its mucosa are millions of embedded
gastric glands. Their secretions are vital to the functioning of the organ. There are
many specialized cells of the GI tract. These include the various cells of the gastric
glands, taste cells, pancreatic duct cells, enterocytes and microfold cells.

MOUTH
Food begins its journey through the digestive system in the mouth, also known as
the oral cavity. Inside the mouth are many accessory organs that aid in the digestion
of food the tongue, teeth, and salivary glands. Teeth chop food into small pieces,
which are moistened by saliva before the tongue and other muscles push the food
into the pharynx.

 Teeth: The teeth are 32 small, hard organs found along the anterior and
lateral edges of the mouth. Each tooth is made of a bone-like substance called
dentin and covered in a layer of enamel—the hardest substance in the body.
Teeth are living organs and contain blood vessels and nerves under the
dentin in a soft region known as the pulp. The teeth are designed for cutting
and grinding food into smaller pieces.

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  Tongue: The tongue is located on the inferior portion of the mouth just
posterior and medial to the teeth. It is a small organ made up of several pairs
of muscles covered in a thin, bumpy, skin-like layer. The outside of the tongue
contains many rough papillae for gripping food as it is moved by the tongue’s
muscles. The taste buds on the surface of the tongue detect taste molecules
in food and connect to nerves in the tongue to send taste information to the
brain. The tongue also helps to push food toward the posterior part of the
mouth for swallowing.
 Salivary Glands: Surrounding the mouth are 3 sets of salivary glands. The
salivary glands are accessory organs that produce a watery secretion known
as saliva. Saliva helps to moisten food and begins the digestion of
carbohydrates. The body also uses saliva to lubricate food as it passes
through the mouth, pharynx, and esophagus.

PHARYNX
The pharynx, or throat, is a funnel-shaped tube connected to the posterior end of the
mouth. The pharynx is responsible for the passing of masses of chewed food from
the mouth to the esophagus. The pharynx also plays an important role in the
respiratory system, as air from the nasal cavity passes through the pharynx on its
way to the larynx and eventually the lungs. Because the pharynx serves two different

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functions, it contains a flap of tissue known as the epiglottis that acts as a switch to
route food to the esophagus and air to the larynx.

ESOPHAGUS
The esophagus is a
muscular tube
connecting the pharynx
to the stomach that is
part of the upper
gastrointestinal tract. It
carries swallowed
masses of chewed food
along its length. At the
inferior end of the
esophagus is a muscular
ring called the lower esophageal sphincter or cardiac sphincter. The function of this
sphincter is to close of the end of the esophagus and trap food in the stomach.

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STOMACH
The stomach is a muscular sac that is located on the left side of the abdominal cavity,
just inferior to the diaphragm. In an average person, the stomach is about the size
of their two fists placed next to each other. This major organ acts as a storage tank
for food so that the body has time to digest large meals properly. The stomach also
contains hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes that continue the digestion of food
that began in the mouth.

SMALL INTESTINE
The small intestine is a long,
thin tube about 1 inch in
diameter and about 10 feet long
that is part of the lower
gastrointestinal tract. It is
located just inferior to the
stomach and takes up most of
the space in the abdominal
cavity. The entire small intestine
is coiled like a hose and the inside surface is full of many ridges and folds. These
folds are used to maximize the digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. By the

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time food leaves the small intestine, around 90% of all nutrients have been extracted
from the food that entered it.

LIVER AND GALLBLADDER

The liver is a roughly triangular accessory organ of the digestive system located to
the right of the stomach, just inferior to the diaphragm and superior to the small
intestine. The liver weighs about 3 pounds and is the second largest organ in the
body. The liver has many different functions in the body, but the main function of the
liver in digestion is the production of bile and its secretion into the small intestine.
The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ located just posterior to the liver. The
gallbladder is used to store and recycle excess bile from the small intestine so that
it can be reused for the digestion of subsequent meals.

PANCREAS
The pancreas is a large gland located just
inferior and posterior to the stomach. It is about
6 inches long and shaped like short, lumpy
snake with its “head” connected to the
duodenum and its “tail” pointing to the left wall
of the abdominal cavity. The pancreas
secretes digestive enzymes into the small
intestine to complete the chemical digestion of foods.

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LARGE INTESTINE
The large intestine is a long, thick tube about 2 ½ inches in diameter and about 5
feet long. It is located just inferior to the stomach and wraps around the superior and
lateral border of the small intestine. The large intestine absorbs water and contains
many symbiotic bacteria that aid in the breaking down of wastes to extract some
small amounts of nutrients. Feces in the large intestine exit the body through the
anal canal.

COLON (LARGE INTESTINE)

The colon is a 6-foot long muscular tube that connects the small intestine to the
rectum. The large intestine is made up of the cecum, the ascending (right) colon, the
transverse (across) colon, the descending (left) colon, and the sigmoid colon, which
connects to the rectum. The appendix is a small tube attached to the cecum. The
large intestine is a highly specialized organ that is responsible for processing waste
so that emptying the bowels is easy and convenient.

Stool, or waste left over from the digestive process, is passed through the colon by
means of peristalsis, first in a liquid state and ultimately in a solid form. As stool
passes through the colon, water is removed. Stool is stored in the sigmoid (S-
shaped) colon until a "mass movement" empties it into the rectum once or twice a
day. It normally takes about 36 hours for stool to get through the colon. The stool

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itself is mostly food debris and bacteria. These bacteria perform several useful
functions, such as synthesizing various vitamins, processing waste products and
food particles, and protecting against harmful bacteria. When the descending colon
becomes full of stool, or feces, it empties its contents into the rectum to begin the
process of elimination.

RECTUM
The rectum (Latin for "straight") is
an 8-inch chamber that connects
the colon to the anus. It is the
rectum's job to receive stool from
the colon, to let the person know
that there is stool to be evacuated,
and to hold the stool until
evacuation happens. When
anything (gas or stool) comes into
the rectum, sensors send a message to the brain. The brain then decides if the rectal
contents can be released or not. If they can, the sphincters relax and the rectum
contracts, disposing its contents. If the contents cannot be disposed, the sphincter
contracts and the rectum accommodates so that the sensation temporarily goes
away.

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ANUS
The anus is the last part of the digestive tract. It is a 2-inch long canal consisting of
the pelvic floor muscles and the two anal sphincters (internal and external). The
lining of the upper anus is specialized to detect rectal contents. It lets you know
whether the contents are liquid, gas, or solid. The anus is surrounded by sphincter
muscles that are important in allowing control of stool. The pelvic floor muscle
creates an angle between the rectum and the anus that stops stool from coming out
when it is not supposed to. The internal sphincter is always tight, except when stool
enters the rectum. It keeps us continent when we are asleep or otherwise unaware
of the presence of stool. When we get an urge to go to the bathroom, we rely on our
external sphincter to hold the stool until reaching a toilet, where it then relaxes to
release the contents.

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 FUNCTIONS OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
The function of the digestive system is digestion and absorption. Digestion is the
breakdown of food into small molecules, which are then absorbed into the body. The
digestive system is divided into two major parts:

The digestive tract (alimentary canal) is a continuous tube with two openings: the
mouth and the anus. It includes the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small
intestine, and large intestine. Food passing through the internal cavity, or lumen, of
the digestive tract does not technically enter the body until it is absorbed through the
walls of the digestive tract and passes into blood or lymphatic vessels.

Accessory organs include the teeth and tongue, salivary glands, liver, gallbladder,
and pancreas.

DIGESTION PROCESS
The treatment of food in the digestive system involves the following seven
processes:

 Ingestion is the process of eating.

 Propulsion is the movement of food along the digestive tract. The major
means of propulsion is peristalsis, a series of alternating contractions and
relaxations of smooth muscle that lines the walls of the digestive organs and
that forces food to move forward.
 Secretion of digestive enzymes and other substances liquefies, adjusts the
pH of, and chemically breaks down the food.
 Mechanical digestion is the process of physically breaking down food into
smaller pieces. This process begins with the chewing of food and continues
with the muscular churning of the stomach. Additional churning occurs in the
small intestine through muscular constriction of the intestinal wall. This
process, called segmentation, is like peristalsis, except that the rhythmic
timing of the muscle constrictions forces the food backward and forward
rather than forward only.

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 Chemical digestion is the process of chemically breaking down food into
simpler molecules. The process is carried out by enzymes in the stomach and
small intestines.
 Absorption is the movement of molecules (by passive diffusion or active
transport) from the digestive tract to adjacent blood and lymphatic vessels.
Absorption is the entrance of the digested food (now called nutrients) into the
body.
 Defecation is the process of eliminating undigested material through the
anus.

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 DIGESTIVE SYSTEM DISEASES
The digestive system made up of the gastrointestinal tract (GI), liver, pancreas, and
gallbladder helps the body digest food. Digestion is important for breaking down food
into nutrients, which your body uses for energy, growth, and cell repair.

Some digestive diseases and conditions are acute, lasting only a short time, while
others are chronic, or long-lasting.

Peritonitis: Inflammation of the lining of the abdominal cavity. Before antibiotics,

people would die from peritonitis if an inflamed appendix burst. Indications of
peritonitis are called “peritoneal signs”: tender abdomen, rebound pain (pain when
manual pressure released from examining abdomen), board-like rigidity of
abdominal muscles, no bowel sounds (gurgles). The peritoneal membrane is very
sensitive to exposure to foreign substances. Contact with blood, bile, urine, pus will
cause peritoneal signs.

Cirrhosis: Literally, “orange-yellow” in Greek. A degenerative disease of the liver

that often develops in chronic alcoholics, but can have other causes. The name
refers to the gross appearance of the organ.

Gastritis: Gastritis is a condition in which the stomach lining known as the mucosa
is inflamed, or swollen. The stomach lining contains glands that produce stomach
acid and an enzyme called pepsin. The stomach acid breaks down food and pepsin
digests protein. A thick layer of mucus coats the stomach lining and helps prevent
the acidic digestive juice from dissolving the stomach tissue. When the stomach
lining is inflamed, it produces less acid and fewer enzymes. However, the stomach
lining also produces less mucus and other substances that normally protect the
stomach lining from acidic digestive juice.

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 DIGESTIVE SYSTEM GLOSSARY
Appendix: a small sac located on the cecum.

Bile: a digestive chemical that is produced in the liver, stored in the gall bladder, and
secreted into the small intestine.

Cecum: the first part of the large intestine; the appendix is connected to the cecum.

Duodenum: the first part of the small intestine; it is C-shaped and runs from the
stomach to the jejunum.

Epiglottis: the flap at the back of the tongue that keeps chewed food from going
down the windpipe to the lungs. When you swallow, the epiglottis automatically
closes. When you breathe, the epiglottis opens so that air can go in and out of the
windpipe.

Esophagus: the long tube between the mouth and the stomach. It uses rhythmic
muscle movements (called peristalsis) to force food from the throat into the stomach.

Gallbladder: a small, sac-like organ located by the duodenum. It stores and

releases bile (a digestive chemical which is produced in the liver) into the small
intestine.

Ileum: the last part of the small intestine before the large intestine begins.

Jejunum: the long, coiled mid-section of the small intestine; it is between the
duodenum and the ileum.

Liver: a large organ located above and in front of the stomach. It filters toxins from
the blood, and makes bile (which breaks down fats) and some blood proteins.

Peristalsis: rhythmic muscle movements that force food in the esophagus from the
throat into the stomach. Peristalsis is involuntary - you cannot control it. It is also
what allows you to eat and drink while upside-down.

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Sigmoid colon: the part of the large intestine between the descending colon and
the rectum.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/anatomy/digestive/

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases_conditions/hic_The_Structure_and_F
unction_of_the_Digestive_System

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_digestive_system

http://www.innerbody.com/anatomy/digestive-male

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/Anatomy/your-digestive-
system/Pages/anatomy.aspx

http://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/your-digestive-system?page=2

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases

QUESTIONS
1.- ¿How many functions take place in the digestive system?

a)3

b)6

c)7

d)1

2.- ¿Wich is the largest structure in the digestive system?

Gastrointestinal track

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3.- Name the parts of the mouth that participate in the digestion.

Teeth, tongue and salivary glands

4.- ¿In wich other system the pharynx make a role?

a)respiratory

b)circulatory

c)osseous

d)urinary

5.- ¿What carries the esophagus?

Swallowed masses of chewed food

6.- Where is located the stomach?

a)Right side of the abdominal cavity

b) left side of the abdominal cavity

7.- ¿How many inches the small intestine has?

a) 2

b)1.5

c)1

d)0.5

8.- True or false

The liver is the largest organ in our body. (F)

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9.- ¿How many steps have the digestion progress?

a)9

b)4

c)6

d)7

10.- Complete

The last part of the digestion is the............ and is the process of ......... undigested
material through the .........

Defecation

Eliminating

Anus

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