Which of the following is an accessory organ of the digestive system?

• A. Teeth
• B. Stomach
• C. Esophagus
• D. Small intestine

Answer: (A)

The main concept here is identifying which structures assist digestion without being the main passage through which food travels. Teeth are an accessory organ because they help with mechanical digestion in the mouth—chewing and grinding food to break it into smaller pieces and increase surface area for later chemical digestion. They don’t form part of the continuous digestive tube where food passes, but they play a crucial preparatory role for digestion that happens later.

The stomach, esophagus, and small intestine are components of the alimentary canal, the main tract through which food moves and where most digestion and absorption occur. Since they are part of that primary pathway, they are not considered accessory organs.

So teeth are the best choice because they support digestion without being part of the digestive tube itself.