The mouth is also known as the oral cavity. its purpose is to mechanically break down food, moisten it with saliva, and swallow the food into the esophagus and eventually, the stomach. our teeth start the physical digestion process. because of the varied shapes of our teeth, they have different functions. which teeth are designed for crushing and grinding our food? a) canines b) incisors c) bicuspids and molars d) incisors and bicuspids