Sense Organs – Tongue

Tongue as a Sense Organ

We have five different sense organs that perform many different tasks in our body.

The tongue (lingua) is the organ in the mouth made of muscles, which is also known as the fastest self-renewing organ. It helps the process of chewing and swallowing food and allows people to speak. 

Tongue Papillae

Papillae are tiny bumps on the upper surface and sides of the tongue that give the tongue a rough appearance. They contain taste buds which contain taste cells.

Parts of the Tongue

Corpus lingua is the part between the tip and the root of the tongue. The root of the tongue is called the radix lingua and it is located in the anterior part of the larynx and carries the lingual tonsils. Known as the tongue ridge, the part of the tongue where the tongue papillae are carried is the dorsum lingua.

The side parts of the tongue that touch the tooth are called margo lingua and the tip of the tongue is called the apex lingua.

There are 8 muscles in total on the tongue that allow the tongue to move.