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  • Title: [Masticatory muscles. Part VII. Masticatory muscles and mastication. How do we get small pieces of food?].
    Author: van der Bilt A, Bosman F, van der Glas HW.
    Journal: Ned Tijdschr Tandheelkd; 1998 Jan; 105(1):4-6. PubMed ID: 11928401.
    Abstract:
    One of the functions of the masticatory system is to prepare food for swallowing by crushing it into small pieces to be moistened with saliva. The degree of fragmentation of the food particles depends on factors like the chewing force generated by the closer muscles, the jaw movement, and the morphological aspects of the teeth. The jaw movement is the result of a precise neuromuscular control of the various chewing muscles. Experimental research showed that the muscle activity needed to crush the food particles exists of two components: an anticipating component and a component evoked by the food resistance. The anticipating muscle activity is observed only if food resistance is expected. The muscle activity evoked by the food starts on average 25 ms after food contact. The amount of peripherally induced muscle activity linearly increases as a function of the food resistance. This part of the muscle activity is controlled by sensory information of the masticatory system.
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