The Tongue: A Muscle With Many Talents

The tongue is a muscular organ made up of eight muscles that intertwine to create a flexible matrix. This structure is known as a muscular hydrostat and is similar to an octopus's tentacles or an elephant's trunk. Four paired intrinsic muscles originate and insert within the tongue, running along its length. These are the superior longitudinal muscle, the inferior longitudinal muscle, the vertical muscle, and the transverse muscle. Four extrinsic muscles anchor the tongue to structures in the head and neck. Unlike other muscles in the body, the tongue does not have a supporting bone.

Explore related products

Tongue Exerciser Kit, Promotes Independent Eating and Clear Articulation– Oral Motor Stimulation Kit for Swallowing –Helps Support Oral Muscle Training for Home and Family Use

$33.99

Baluue Tongue Suction Device and Puller Oral Muscle Trainer for Speech Rehabilitation Swallowing Exercises and Tongue Tip Training for Adults

$16.99 $20.94

Silicone Tongue Trainer for Dysphagia & Speech Therapy | Adjustable Pressure Relief Valve, Ergonomic 15° Handle | Oral Rehabilitation Tool for Stroke Recovery & Elderly Care

$18.99

Garneck 3Pcs Oral Muscle Trainer Kids Tongue Thrust Corrector for Kids Speech Therapy Materials Tongue Muscle Exerciser Oral Training Tool

$9.49

Didiseaon 3pcs Oral Muscle Trainer Tongue Muscle Exerciser for Kids Speech Therapy Materials and Oral Motor Therapy Tool for Jaw and Tongue Training

$9.89

Tongue Muscle Trainer, Dry Mouth Relief Products Mouth Exerciser Electric Tongue Muscle Perceiving Training Recovery Device for Women Man Tongue Mouth Muscle Training Tools Massager Trainer Lips Set

$13.51

The tongue is a muscular organ

The tongue is made up of four paired intrinsic muscles that originate and insert within the tongue, running along its length. These are the superior longitudinal muscle, the inferior longitudinal muscle, the vertical muscle, and the transverse muscle. The superior longitudinal muscle runs along the upper surface of the tongue under the mucous membrane, and functions to shorten and curl the tongue upward. The inferior longitudinal muscle lines the sides of the tongue and is joined to the styloglossus muscle. It functions to shorten and curl the tongue downward. The vertical muscle is located in the middle of the tongue and joins the superior and inferior longitudinal muscles. It functions to flatten the tongue. The transverse muscle divides the tongue in the middle and is attached to the mucous membranes that run along the sides.

These muscles alter the shape of the tongue by lengthening and shortening it, curling and uncurling its apex and edges, and flattening and rounding its surface. This provides shape and helps facilitate speech, swallowing, and eating. For example, the tongue moves food around when you eat. It also helps you speak and enunciate clearly. The tongue also helps you make different sounds so you can form words clearly.

Explore related products

4 PCS Tongue Trainer,Oral Muscle Training Tool Portable Tongue Exerciser for Kids Tongue Tip Training Device

$9.99 $10.79

3PCS Tongue Tip Exercise Set, Speech Tools Oral Muscle Training Tool, Tongue Retaining Device for Oral Salivation, Drooling, and Dysphagia

$12.49

3pcs Kids Tongue Tip Lateralization Elevation Tools Tongue Tip Exercise Set Oral Muscle Training Tool Autism Speech Therapy Tools (Purple)

$10.99

DOITOOL Oral Muscle Trainer: 4Pcs Tongue Thrust Corrector Tongue Exerciser, Kids Tongue Tip Lateralization Elevation Tools Tongue Muscle Exerciser for Kids Oral Motor

$9.79

Tongue Tip Exerciser, Oral Muscle Training Tool Cleanse Promote Spoken Language Develop Language Skills Metal for Home Use (White) (Blue)

$15.97

Veemoon 3pcs Kid Tongue Exercise Device, Child Oral Muscle Trainer Speech Therapy Tool Tongue Tip Lateralization Elevation Tools Jaw Muscle Exerciser for Jaw Oral Training Stabilizing Device

$7.59 $8.49

It helps you speak and enunciate clearly

The tongue is a muscular organ located in the mouth. It is anchored inside the mouth by webs of strong tissue and is mostly made of muscles. There are four paired intrinsic muscles of the tongue: the superior longitudinal muscle, the inferior longitudinal muscle, the vertical muscle, and the transverse muscle. These muscles alter the shape of the tongue by lengthening and shortening it, curling and uncurling its apex and edges, and flattening and rounding its surface. This provides shape and helps facilitate speech, swallowing, and eating.

The superior longitudinal muscle runs along the upper surface of the tongue under the mucous membrane and functions to shorten and curl the tongue upward. It originates near the epiglottis, at the hyoid bone, from the median fibrous septum. The inferior longitudinal muscle lines the sides of the tongue and is joined to the styloglossus muscle. It functions to shorten and curl the tongue downward.

The vertical muscle is located in the middle of the tongue and joins the superior and inferior longitudinal muscles. It functions to flatten the tongue. The transverse muscle divides the tongue in the middle and is attached to the mucous membranes that run along the sides.

The tongue helps you make different sounds so you can speak and form words clearly. It also helps keep your airway open so you can breathe properly.

Explore related products

Didiseaon Oral Muscle Trainer For Speech Therapy Tongue Exerciser And Suction Device Mouth Opener And Jaw Trainer For Elderly And Children

$16.19

Ngue Muscle Training Tool 4pcs Tongue Tip Trainer for Boys and Girls Oral Stimulation Kit Speech Therapy Tool Portable

$11.99

Mouth Exerciser for Speech Therapy Muscle Trainer Device for Elderly Boys and Girls Oral Muscle Trainer Suction Device Jaw Opener

$10.36 $13.26

4PCS Tongue Trainer, Plastic Tongue Tip Exerciser Portable Oral Lips Exerciser Plastic Perceiving Recovery Tool for Dysarthria(Orange)

$9.09

Angoily Tongue Trainer, 4 PCS Tongue Tip Exercise Set Lateralization Lifting Oral Muscle Training Tool, Oral Motor Retaining Tools for Speech Delay

$8.16 $9.99

Oral Muscle Trainer, Tongue Muscle Exerciser, 5 Oral Muscle Training Set for Enhanced Tongue and Jaw Flexibility for Rehabilitation and Daily Health Care

$63.25

It helps you breathe properly

The tongue is a muscular organ located in the mouth. It is made up of four paired intrinsic muscles: the superior longitudinal muscle, the inferior longitudinal muscle, the vertical muscle, and the transverse muscle. These muscles alter the shape of the tongue by lengthening and shortening it, curling and uncurling it, and flattening and rounding its surface. This helps with speech, swallowing, and eating.

The tongue also helps to keep the airway open so that you can breathe properly. It runs from the hyoid bone in the middle of the neck to the floor of the mouth and is anchored by webs of strong tissue. The superior longitudinal muscle, in particular, originates near the epiglottis at the hyoid bone and functions to shorten and curl the tongue upward, which may help to facilitate breathing.

Explore related products

LIZEALUCKY 3pcs Tongue Tip Exercise Set, Lateralization Elevation Cleaning Lifting Tool Oral Muscle Training Set Exerciser Language Trainer Adults Stiff Tongue Mouth Strength Speech Talk Tool

$11.09

Tongue Muscle Rehabilitation Device for Speech and Swallowing Therapy Oral Muscle Trainer for Elderly and Children Home Clinic Use Tongue Exerciser

$19.09

ARK's Oro-Navigator Tongue Movement Oral Motor Tool (Blue)

$11.99

3pcs Boy Girl Tongue Trainer Oral Muscle Training Set Green Tongue Tip Exercise Tools for Speech Clarity and Rehabilitation for Home School Use

$7.89

4pcs Tongue Trainer,Tongue Exerciser,Tongue Thrust Corrector,Tongue Stabilizing Device,Tip Lateralization And Elevation,Oral Motor Therapy Tools,Oral Muscle Training Tool For Stiff Tongue Clear Speech

$7.49 $9.99

Didiseaon 3pcs Children Oral Muscle Trainer Improves Feeding Skill Promote Speech Clarity Tongue Tip Exercise Tools Green

$9.49

It moves food around when you eat

The tongue is a muscular organ located in the mouth. It is made up of four paired intrinsic muscles that originate and insert within the tongue, running along its length. These muscles are the superior longitudinal muscle, the inferior longitudinal muscle, the vertical muscle, and the transverse muscle.

The superior longitudinal muscle runs along the upper surface of the tongue under the mucous membrane. It functions to shorten and curl the tongue upward. The inferior longitudinal muscle lines the sides of the tongue and is joined to the styloglossus muscle. This muscle shortens and curls the tongue downward. The vertical muscle is located in the middle of the tongue and joins the superior and inferior longitudinal muscles. It functions to flatten the tongue. The transverse muscle divides the tongue in the middle and is attached to the mucous membranes that run along the sides.

These muscles alter the shape of the tongue by lengthening and shortening it, curling and uncurling its apex and edges, and flattening and rounding its surface. This provides shape and helps facilitate speech, swallowing, and eating. For example, when you eat, the tongue moves food around in your mouth and helps you chew and swallow your food. It also helps you speak and enunciate clearly.

The tongue is anchored inside the mouth by webs of strong tissue and is covered by mucosa, a moist, pink lining that covers certain organs and body cavities. It is also covered with different types of papillae (bumps) and taste buds.

Explore related products

FRCOLOR 3pcs Oral Muscle Trainer Tongue Exerciser for Kids Oral Muscle Trainer and Speech Therapy Tool for Jaw Exercise and Oral Motor Therapy

$9.99 $10.89

Garneck 4pcs Kids Tongue Exerciser: Oral Muscle Motor Trainer for Speech Therapy - Child Tongue Thrust Corrector Retaining Stabilizing Device

$8.99

Generic Oxyflow Portable Adjustable Trainer for Oral and Muscular Exercise - for Daily Fitness Training, Easy to Clean, White+Black

$17.99

SAFIGLE Tongue Muscle Rehabilitation Device for Speech Therapy Oral Motor Therapy Tool with Silicone Suction Puller for Elderly and Kids Tongue Trainer for Swallowing Improvement

$13.99

Garneck 4pcs Oral Muscle Trainer Tongue Exercise Tool for Speech Therapy Jaw Exerciser Swallowing Rehabilitation

$12.89

4pcs Tongue Lifting Tool Oral Muscle Trainer Tongue Exercise Speech Rehabilitation Training Adaptive Spoon Learning Spoon Gesture

$14.99

It has four paired intrinsic muscles

The tongue is a muscular organ located in the mouth. It is anchored inside the mouth by webs of strong tissue and is covered by mucosa, a moist, pink lining that covers certain organs and body cavities. The tongue is also covered with different types of papillae (bumps) and taste buds.

The tongue has four paired intrinsic muscles that originate and insert within the tongue, running along its length. These are the superior longitudinal muscle, the inferior longitudinal muscle, the vertical muscle, and the transverse muscle. The superior longitudinal muscle runs along the upper surface of the tongue under the mucous membrane and functions to shorten and curl the tongue upward. It originates near the epiglottis, at the hyoid bone, from the median fibrous septum. The inferior longitudinal muscle lines the sides of the tongue and is joined to the styloglossus muscle. It functions to shorten and curl the tongue downward. The vertical muscle is located in the middle of the tongue and joins the superior and inferior longitudinal muscles. It functions to flatten the tongue. The transverse muscle divides the tongue in the middle and is attached to the mucous membranes that run along the sides.

These muscles alter the shape of the tongue by lengthening and shortening it, curling and uncurling its apex and edges, and flattening and rounding its surface. This provides shape and helps facilitate speech, swallowing, and eating.

Frequently asked questions