In which of the following organs you would expect to find the salivatory and swallowing centers a. brain b. spinal cord c. cranial nerves d. pons and medulla e none
Introduction
Salivation is the physiological process of secreting saliva, which is a clear, watery liquid secreted into the mouth by the salivary glands. The salivary glands are of three kinds present in pairs, namely, parotid glands, submandibular glands, and sublingual glands.
The parotid glands are by far the largest salivary glands present in front of the ear. Saliva is secreted through the ducts in our upper second molar teeth.
The submandibular glands are present below the jaw and secrete saliva through ducts located under the tongue. Sublingual glands are found under the tongue.
One of the main functions of saliva, other than helping in digestion and retaining moisture in the mouth, is helping in bolus formation ( round masticated food) and swallowing. Swallowing is a reflexive activity in which food is passed from the mouth to the pharynx and then all the way down the oesophagus/food pipe. Many nerves, muscles, and organs like the tongue are involved to assist the process.
Apart from the structures mentioned above, both salivation and swallowing are controlled by special structures in the brain.
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