Which structure is the muscular organ that assists with chewing and swallowing?

Which structure is the muscular organ that assists with chewing and swallowing?

• A. Tongue
• B. Tonsils
• C. Cecum
• D. Pancreas

Answer: (A)

The tongue is the muscular organ that assists with chewing and swallowing. Its powerful intrinsic and extrinsic muscles let it move food around the mouth, press it between the teeth, and mix it with saliva to form a cohesive bolus. When chewing, the tongue positions and repositions food to aid grinding and mixing. As swallowing begins, the tongue contracts to push the bolus to the back of the mouth and into the pharynx, triggering the swallow reflex. The other structures don’t perform this muscular action: tonsils are lymphoid tissue that help defend against infection, the cecum is a pouch at the start of the large intestine, and the pancreas is a gland that secretes digestive enzymes rather than a muscle involved in movement of food.

The tongue is the muscular organ that assists with chewing and swallowing. Its powerful intrinsic and extrinsic muscles let it move food around the mouth, press it between the teeth, and mix it with saliva to form a cohesive bolus. When chewing, the tongue positions and repositions food to aid grinding and mixing. As swallowing begins, the tongue contracts to push the bolus to the back of the mouth and into the pharynx, triggering the swallow reflex. The other structures don’t perform this muscular action: tonsils are lymphoid tissue that help defend against infection, the cecum is a pouch at the start of the large intestine, and the pancreas is a gland that secretes digestive enzymes rather than a muscle involved in movement of food.