Act of moving food from the mouth through the pharynx and esophagus to the stomach.
The process by which food is transferred from the mouth to the esophagus; deglutition. In swallowing, the tongue is raised within the mouth to push the food back toward the throat, thus stimulating reflex actions in which the larynx at the top of the throat and the nasal passages are closed, so the food will not enter the trachea (windpipe). The process of swallowing is completed by the passage of the food through the esophagus to the stomach.
The process by which food is transferred from the mouth to the esophagus (gullet). Voluntary raising of the tongue forces food backward toward the pharynx. This stimulates reflex actions in which the larynx is closed by the epiglottis and the nasal passages are closed by the soft palate, so that food does not enter the trachea (windpipe). Lastly, food moves down the esophagus by peristalsis and gravity.
A complicated act, usually initiated voluntarily but always completed reflexively, whereby food is moved from the mouth through the pharynx and esophagus to the stomach. It occurs in the following three stages.
The mechanism through which food or liquid is transported from the mouth to the stomach by means of the esophagus.
Within the mouth, food is masticated and combined with saliva to create a soft mass referred to as a bolus. Subsequently, the tongue propels this bolus to the rear of the mouth, and the voluntary muscles in the palate guide it into the throat.
The remaining steps of swallowing transpire through a sequence of reflexes. The introduction of food into the throat prompts the epiglottis to incline downward, sealing off the trachea (windpipe), while the soft palate shifts backward to block the nasal cavity. Muscles in the throat propel the food into the esophagus (gullet). Waves of contractions known as peristalsis along the esophagus push the food toward the stomach.