CHAPTER VIII.
DIGESTION OF A MOUTHFUL OF BREAD.
~1.~ Let us suppose that we have eaten a mouthful of bread, and can watch it as it goes through all the different processes of digestion.
~2.

Mastication.~--First, we chew or masticate the food with the teeth.
We use the tongue to move the food from one side of the mouth to the other, and to keep the food between the teeth.
~3.

Mouth Digestion.~--While the bread is being chewed, the saliva is mixed with it and acts upon it.

The saliva moistens and softens the food so that it can be easily swallowed and readily acted upon by the other digestive juices.

You have noticed that if you chew a bit of hard bread a few minutes it becomes sweet.