Figure 11.3 : Digestive System of Cockroach

Mastication or chewing: The foods engulfed or captured by most of the mammals are mechanically broken into smaller pieces. The teeth are perfectly designed for chewing. The anterior teeth (incisors) provide a strong cutting action and the posterior teeth (molars) a grinding action. Jaw bones and muscles help them in doing this work.
In herbivores animal (e.g. sheep, cow and horse) the premolar and molar teeth have well developed ridges for effective grinding of the food. In carnivores animals (e.g. tiger, cat, dog)