What is the general function of the tongue? This anatomical review focuses on structure, function relationships and diseases affecting the tongue. The tongue mixes the food with the saliva to help in the food swallowing, The tongue moves the food around inside the mouth cavity, and it is responsible for tasting the food. Tongue has many known and lesser known but very important functions. Assits in chewing, prepares material for … Its other biological function is to push the food into a bolus (I prefer the less scientific term "glob"), and then push it down the oesophagus to our stomach. Compression, abrasion, and distortion. The taste buds, the sensory receptors for taste, are located on the tongue. The tongue has a very rich neurovascular supply, and its importance in humans is tightly connected to the digestive system and speech. The tongue’s primary physiologic function is gustatory sensation (tasting) and aiding in mastication (chewing). It is also involved with the sensation of taste for the back of the tongue. Name the extrinsic muscles of the tongue & describe function. This muscle is extremely strong, as it must move food around in our mouths as we chew. Speech. What is mechanical processing of the tongue? Mechanical processing, manipulation, sensory analysis, secretion. The tongue is an amazing organ that plays an important role in chewing, swallowing, and talking. Tongue, in most vertebrates, an organ, capable of various muscular movements, located on the floor of the mouth.In some animals (e.g., frogs) it is elongated and adapted to capturing insect prey. This article is intended to promote understanding of and knowledge about general oral health topics. The tongue’s primary function is often seen as that of being the organ of taste, however, its role in various other activities is also crucial. Some of them are: Helps in speech: tongue plays an important role in formation of speech. Let's review. Taste. Taste is associated mainly with the tongue, although there are taste (gustatory) receptors on the palate and epiglottis as well. Functions of the Tongue. The tongues of certain reptiles function primarily as sensory organs, whereas cats and some other mammals use their tongues as instruments for grooming and cleaning. In the surface of the tongue are … Tongue is a very strong and inquisitive yet sensitive muscular organ. The tongue is an organ that has several functions. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. The surface of the tongue, along with the rest of the oral cavity, is lined by a stratified squamous epithelium. The movements of the tongue are crucial for articulation. The tongue is a muscular organ of the oral cavity and is an accessory digestive organ in the digestive system.It has many functions of which the most important are mastication, taste, swallowing, speech, and clearing the oral cavity. Alter the position of the tongue Hypoglossus - depresses/retracts - hyoid bone Genioglossus - protrudes - genial tubercles Styloglossus - lifts backwards/upwards - styloid process Palatoglossus - lifts tongue against soft pallate. The tongue is the most important articulator of speech. In fact, tongue function is involved in quite a few mouth maneuvers. Typically, between 8 and 12 circumvallate papillae are arranged in an inverted V-shape towards the base of the tongue. It is the speech organ as it changes the sound coming from the larynx into understandable words. The tongue, a voluntary muscular structure, is attached by a fold, called the frenulum, to the floor of the mouth. Lesson Summary. It also helps with speech and sound formation. What are the four functions of the tongue? The sensory function receives information from the throat, tonsils, middle ear, and back of the tongue.