Table of contents:
- Get acquainted with the tongue
- Parts of the tongue
- What are the functions of the tongue?
- As a sense of taste
- Helps suck
- Helps the process of eating, chewing, grinding, swallowing and salivating
- Help touch
- Helps communicate
- Protect the mouth from germs
The main function of the tongue is as a sense of taste to distinguish the various tastes of food. But did you know that the tongue has a variety of other functions? Let's find out more about the muscle organs that reside in the mouth.
Get acquainted with the tongue
The tongue is a collection of skeletal muscles on the floor of the mouth which is covered by a mucous membrane that looks rough. The rough surface texture of the tongue comes from the small bumps of the papillae. The papillae are the endings of the taste buds that connect to the nerves in the brain, so that you can taste a wide variety of flavors in food - bitter, sour, salty, sweet, and savory.
The number of papillae in each person is not necessarily the same. People who have a lot of papillae are more sensitive to the depth and variety of flavors. The surface of the tongue can have a white crust on it. This is common, although it is more common in older people.
Parts of the tongue
- The tip and edge of the tongue. This section includes the front (tip) and right and left (edge) tongue. The tip and edge of the tongue can move freely forward, back, right, or left.
- Base of the tongue. This section contains many sensory cells that support the function of the tongue to feel and touch something that enters the mouth.
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The root of the tongue. This area, also called the base of the tongue, is located on the underside of the tongue so that it cannot be seen from outside the mouth. The roots or base of the tongue cannot move freely and connect to the floor of the mouth.
The tongue has a number of muscles and nerves that help detect and transmit taste signals to the brain. The presence of these muscles allows the tongue to move freely in all directions in the oral cavity.
The only bone that is directly connected to the tongue is the hyoid bone. This bone is located between the neck and inner chin. The tongue also has another part called the frenulum. This section connects the tongue with the oral cavity as well as functions as a support for the tongue.
What are the functions of the tongue?
As a sense of taste
The tongue has taste receptors to taste food, drink, or anything that enters the mouth. These receptors are found in taste buds. That way, you can distinguish between sweet, sour, salty, bitter, tasty, or bad tastes.
Helps suck
Babies use their tongue when sucking breast milk. The tongue helps to suck the fluids that enter the mouth.
Helps the process of eating, chewing, grinding, swallowing and salivating
The tongue can move freely in the mouth so that it can help process food and drinks from solid to soft so that they are easy to swallow. When chewing, the tongue and cheeks work together to move food between the teeth so that it can be chewed. The tongue presses the crushed food (bolus) against the ceiling and moves the bolus down the throat, starting the swallowing process. Then it enters the stomach and is processed by the digestive organs. This movement of the tongue also stimulates saliva.
Help touch
The tip of the tongue is one of the most sensitive parts of the body. The tip of the tongue functions to sense or recognize incoming food and clean food debris in the mouth.
Helps communicate
The ability to move the tongue is also used for speech. The tongue works together with the lips and teeth to make the sound that comes out of the throat clear and understood by the other person.
Protect the mouth from germs
At the base of the tongue, there are collections of protective cells called the lingual tonsils. These cells are located behind the oral cavity and along with the palatine tonsils (tonsils) and pharyngeal tonsils (adenoids). The tonsils are located on the left and right of the oral cavity, while the adenoids are located on the back wall of the nasopharynx. Both are tasked with protecting the body from germs that can enter through the mouth.
After recognizing the part of the tongue and its various functions, one will realize how important it is to maintain the health of the oral cavity as a whole. You should always keep your tongue clean to maintain oral health, because brushing your teeth is not enough. Cleanliness and health of the tongue will help you avoid the threat of various diseases.
