Introduction
The human tongue is a vital organ and serves several vital functions in the human body. The organ performs various functions in the human body such as tasting, digesting, and so on. The tongue is characterized by several muscles that facilitate its movements and functions. The organ has several muscles, which assist in the movement and manipulation of the tongue. It is noted that the tongue develops and completes its maturity at the age of 12.
Extensive detail on the human tongue
The tongue is pink in color, which is a result of the mucosa; a wet pink tissue. The tongue is reasonably rough in texture. This roughness is due to the presence of papillae, which are the tiny bumps on the tongue’s surface. It is noted that papillae are covered with many test buds that aid the tongue perform its sensory functions. Test buds are made up of various nerve-like cells that are responsible for the transmission of signals.
The mouth protects the tongue against harmful micro-organisms and chemicals. Furthermore, the tongue is guarded by mucosa and several tissues. It is held and supported by a joint tissue below it, referred to as Frenum. The organ is also supported by a tissue known as the hyoid bone located deep inside the mouth. It is noteworthy that the tongue plays a massive role in the digestive system, as well as in speech.
The tongue alongside the test buds is associated with four dissimilar tastes i.e. sour, bitter, sweet, and salty (Robert and Denis, 50). However, there exists another taste by the name of Unami. The tongue is composed of numerous nerves, which helps in the transmission of signals. It is renowned that all parts of the tongue can determine the taste of something since the countless nerves spread are all over the organ.
The tongue is used to study the evolution process in several types of research. This is because the connection between the tongue and speech thus may have influenced the evolution process. The researches aim at connecting the shape and structure of the tongue and evolution periods. Consequently, scholars have developed several ideologies that describe the evolution of tongues.
Anatomy of the tongue
The pharynx and oral cavity are parts that make up the tongue. The pharyngeal is deep inside the mouth, fixed, and can’t be seen; whereas, the oral cavity is the movable part of the tongue and it’s visible from the outside. The mobile part manipulates the tongue, while the fixed part provides support.
It is noted that the tongue is composed of numerous muscles; however, the muscles are divided into two groups’ i.e. extrinsic and intrinsic. The intrinsic group constitutes of muscles that are exclusively within the tongue, and cannot be seen on the outside. The intrinsic group is further divided into sub-groups that comprise of the following muscles i.e. superior, vertical, inferior longitudinal, and horizontal (Ruscello, 191). The extrinsic group anchors the tongue to other tissues and is placed entirely outside the tongue. They are also divided into sub-groups, which are identified as Genioglossus, Palatoglossus, styloglussus, and Hyoglossus (Ruscello, 191).
These extrinsic muscles are connected to several other structures and parts of the mouth. The tongue is connected to the jaw bone and the mandible by the Genioglossus; whereas, Palatoglossus is the muscle that joins the palate to the tongue. The hyoid bone is coupled to the tongue by a muscle known as Hyoglossus. The tongue is connected to the styloid process by a muscle known as the styloglussus.
It is essential to note that, every muscle has its role in the manipulation of the tongue. Genioglossus assists in the curving of the tongue by depressing the middle part of the tongue; whereas, Styloglossus is responsible for the frontward and backward manipulation of the tongue. Hyoglossus also plays a significant role in depressing the tongue; while, on the other hand, palatoglossus is responsible for the swallowing of foods. Not forgetting the intrinsic muscles, since they also play a crucial role in manipulating the tongue. Rolling, widening, thickening, flattening, and broadening of the tongue are associated with the intrinsic group of muscles.
How the tongue can detect health problems
Science has it that, the texture, shape, and color of the tongue signifies the level of an individual’s vitality and the capability to generate blood. Furthermore, it influences an individual’s capacity to eliminate toxins, digest food, and breathe (Pirello, 62). It is further noted that the shape of an individual’s tongue is associated with the foodstuffs the mother used to take. A narrow tongue is associated with a mother who consumed lots of fleshy foods; while, a wide tongue reflects a mother who used to take a lot of vegetables. A mother who balances her diet during expectancy delivers a child with a thinner tongue; whereas, the one who took an unbalanced diet delivers a child with a thick tongue.
A person’s health and the effectiveness of his or her digestive system can be detected by the color of the organ (tongue). The organ (tongue) can be used to determine the functionality level of various organs. For instance, the functionality level of the small intestines can be determined just by looking at the center of the tongue (Pirello, 62). The back part of the tongue can detect the healthiness of the pancreases, liver gallbladders, and many more body parts. Pink is the standard color of the tongue; therefore, any change indicates a disease attack. If the color red appears at any point of the tongue, then the patient is assumed to be suffering from ulcers. Anemia or fatness is indicated by the fading of pink color, which becomes unevenly distributed. The appearance of the yellow on the tongue implies disproportional secretion of bile. Too much intake of dairy products is can be detected on the tongue i.e. when the tongue develops white spots. Blue color indicates exhaustion from medical drugs; whereas, pimples on the tongue imply too much intake of sugar, protein, fats, alcohol, and acidic vegetables.
Taste and the tongue
The tongue also acts as a sensory organ i.e. it assists in a tasting of food substances and chemicals. The muscular organ is characterized by thousands of nerves that link it to the brain. The tongue hosts several papillae, which are covered with the test buds (Campbell, 278). The test buds hold the responsibility of detecting the taste of a substance. It distinguishes different tastes such as bitter, sour, salty, and sweet. Tasting is considered as one of the fundamental roles of the tongue thus can be used to sample food tastes. The nerve cells in the tongue act as a link between the brain and the test glands. Furthermore, the cells are responsible for the transmission of signals that determine the rejection or salivation of the food. Taste is innate; therefore, one must at least sample to be able to determine or feel the taste.
How the tongue works together with the digestive system
The mouth carries out distinct functions; some are associated with the digestive system while others are not. Like any other digestive organ, the mouth not only acts as a starting point for the process but also performs a crucial role in the digestion of foodstuffs. The mouth works with the help of the tongue and teeth in the breakdown, mixing, and rolling of food. However, many parts of the mouth participate in the digestive processes; for instance; the jaw, saliva, and many more others participate in the process. The tongue assists the teeth in breaking down food i.e. by manipulating and ensuring the food is evenly broken down. Under the influence of several muscles, the muscular organ can move in different directions as it facilitates the process.
Most foods cannot be digested without getting swallowed; thus there is a need for the tongue’s assistance. The tongue alongside the palatoglossus plays a vital role in the swallowing of food. The palatoglossus expands and contracts thus leading to the swallowing of food, which will be further digested in the stomach (Day and Dimon, 47). Additionally, the tongue assists in lubricating food with saliva thus simplifying swallowing and digestion of food. The tongue moves sideways, upwards, or downwards as it helps in mixing food with saliva.
The tongue muscles manipulate and maneuver the tongue to form balls of food after chewing. The ball or bolus are round in shape; a suitable shape for swallowing food. The tongue further shapes the food to manageable quantities i.e. sizes that can be swallowed after the food is broken down. Palatoglossus assists in the swallowing of food (balls); thus proceed to the next stage where further digestions take place. The production of saliva is part of the role of the tongue consequently facilitating the mixing and softening of food. The softening of food will in turn simplify the absorption of nutrients and also ease the digestion of food. The saliva is quite useful in lubrication thus aiding the swallowing of food. However, it is essential to note that the digestive functions of the tongue are relative to the nature of food. For instance, drinks may not require chewing; whereas, hard foods may demand adequate chewing of food. Despite performing digestive functions, the muscular organ also performs the sensory function of determining the savor of chemical compounds. The possible tastes determined by the muscular organ include salty, sour, and so on.
It is noteworthy that the tongue itself is a digestive organ. However, the quantity of food it digests is limited due to several factors. The tongue digests only food which dissolves faster and does not involve a lot of digestive processes; for instance, glucose. Glucose immediately dissolves, when one consumes it; however, its digestion begins and culminates in the mouth. Glucose dissolves in the mouth and directly enters the bloodstream via the tongue. This is the reason behind the taking of glucose after exhaustive activity since energy is regained immediately.
The tongue is made up of papillae and tiny bumps, which are responsible for the roughening of the tongue. This roughness is responsible for an essential role in the digestion process. The roughness grips the tongue, which in turn facilitates the grasping of food (Campbell, 278). Excellent grasping simplifies the tongue’s role of manipulation, mixing, and reducing the size of food particles.
Conclusion
The tongue is an exceptionally vital organ since it performs numerous crucial roles. It has several muscles that facilitate its movement and manipulation as it performs its functions. Apart from performing numerous tasks, the tongue can be used to detect unhealthiness in clients. The organ also plays a vital role in not only assisting indigestion but also in performing the digestion process itself. Considering the essentiality of the tongue, the organ must be handled with exceptional care.
Works cited
Day, Megan and Dimon, Theodore. Anatomy of the moving body: a basic course in bones, muscles, and joints. California: North Atlantic books 2001 47.
Campbell, Bernard. Human evolution: an introduction to man’s adaptations. New Jersey: Transaction publishers 1999 278.
Pirello, Christina. Glow. HPBooks, 2001 62.
Ruscello, Dennis. Tests and measurements in speech-language pathology. Woburn: Elsevier Health Sciences, 2001 191.
Wildman, Robert and Medeiros, Denis. Advanced human nutrition. Florida: CRC press 2000 50.