Swallowing (Deglutition)

Swallowing (Deglutition)

• Is an act of transferring a food bolus from the mouth through the pharynx and esophagus into the stomach.
  

1. The bolus of food is pushed back by elevating the tongue by the styloglossus into the fauces, which is the passage from the mouth to the oropharynx.

2. The palatoglossus and palatopharyngeus muscles contract to squeeze the bolus backward into the oropharynx. The tensor veli palatini and levator veli palatini muscles elevate the soft palate and uvula to close the entrance into the nasopharynx.

3. The walls of the pharynx are raised by the palatopharyngeus, stylopharyngeus, and salpin gopharyngeus muscles to receive the food. The suprahyoid muscles elevate the hyoid bone and the larynx to close the opening into the larynx, thus passing the bolus over the epiglottis and preventing the food from entering the respiratory passageways.

4. The serial contraction of the superior, middle, and inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscles moves the food through the oropharynx and the laryngopharynx into the esophagus, where it is propelled by peristalsis into the stomach.

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