Year-4 Teeth and Digestion - Key Vocabulary, Digestive System, Food Chains, Teeth

Sep 28, 2026

A focused Year-4 learning resource covering key vocabulary for teeth, digestion and nutrition. It explains the role and types of teeth, including canines, incisors, premolars and molars, and provides guidance on how to care for teeth by brushing and flossing and reducing sugar. The digestive system is traced from mouth and saliva to oesophagus, stomach, intestines, rectum and excretion. It also introduces food chains by linking producers, prey and predators.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Key vocabulary

Digestive system

Food chains

Key knowledge

Teeth

Teeth in other animals

Key vocabulary canine pointed teeth near the front of the mouth in humans and some animals. carnivore an animal that eats meat. decay natural process of slowly losing health or strength. digestion the breaking down of food that is eaten. enamel The hard white substance that forms the outer layer of the tooth. excretion Process of getting rid of faeces, urine or sweat through the body. faeces the solid waste substance that people and animals get rid of from their body by passing it through the anus. food chain the order in which living things depend on each other for food. incisor the teeth at the front of your mouth which you use for biting into food. intestines the tubes in your body through which food passes when it has left your stomach. molar the large, flat teeth towards the back of your mouth that you use for chewing food. nutrition the process of taking food into the body and absorbing the nutrients in those foods. oesophagus the part of your body that carries the food from the throat to the stomach. omnivore person or animal that eats both meat and plants. predator an animal that hunts, catches and eats other living things. prey An animal that is hunted, caught and eaten by other living things. producer a plant that produces its own food. rectum part of the digestive system where stools are stored before leaving the body through the anus. saliva the watery liquid that forms in your mouth and helps you to chew and digest food. stomach the organ inside your body where food is digested before it moves into the intestines Focus scientists Pierre Fauchard (1679-1761) wrote the first complete scientific description of dentistry. The book described basic function of teeth and removing decay and restoring teeth. William Beaumont, (1785-1853),an army surgeon, was the first person to observe and study human digestion as it occurs in the stomach. Digestive system •The smell of food triggers saliva to be produced. •The digestive system begins with the mouth and teeth where food is chewed. Saliva is mixed with the food which helps to break it up. • •When the food is small enough to be swallowed, it is pushed down the oesophagus by muscles to the stomach. •In the stomach, food is mixed further. •The mixed food is then sent to the small intestine which absorbs nutrients from the food. •Any leftover broken down food then moves on to the large intestine. •The food minus the nutrients arrives in the rectum where muscles turn it into faeces. It is stored here until it is pushed out by the anus. This is called excretion. Food Chains Food chains are the connections between producers, prey and predators. All the living things in a food chain rely on each other. A food chain describes how different organisms eat each other, starting out with a plant and ending with an animal. Key Knowledge Teeth What is the role of our teeth? for cutting and chewing food. They start the digestive process . What are the different names and functions of our teeth? Canines are pointed for tearing and ripping food-these are usually used when chewing meat. •Incisors are shovel shaped and help bite lumps out of and cut food. •Premolars and molars are flat and they grind and crush food. How do we look after them? by brushing and flossing and ensuring that they do not eat foods high in sugar. Not looking after teeth can lead to an in-crease in plaque and tooth decay. Teeth in other animals The teeth of an animal are designed to eat different foods depending on the diet of the animal. Examples of the types of teeth of a herbivore, a carnivore and an omnivore are below: Herbivore Carnivore Omnivore

FAQs

What triggers saliva production during digestion?

The smell of food triggers saliva to be produced.

What are the main stages after food is swallowed?

Food is pushed down the oesophagus to the stomach, mixed further there, then sent to the small intestine to absorb nutrients, and finally to the large intestine before storage in the rectum.

How can people look after their teeth to prevent decay?

Brush and floss regularly, and avoid foods high in sugar to help prevent plaque buildup and tooth decay.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Indoniesian Boy