Chemical or Mechanical Digestion?

Question

When digestion begins in the mouth is it chemical or physical or a combination?

Answer 1

its a combination because the mastication is physical while your salivary glands are chemical.

Answer 2

Combination. Mastication and the enzyme amylase.

Answer 3

It is both. The chewing breaks up the food. The tongue helps mix it with saliva. The amylase in the saliva begins the digestion of starches. You can actually taste the change from starch to sugar if you keep a cracker in your mouth for awhile.