Question

The tongue helps in mixing food with saliva.
A. True
B. False

Answer 1

Hint: The tongue is a muscle present in the mouth of many vertebrates that tries to manipulate food for chewing and is used for swallowing. It is significant in the digestive system as well as the principal organ of taste.

Complete answer: Saliva, a dense, colourless, translucent liquid that is constantly present in the mouth of humans and mammals. It is composed of water, mucus, proteins, essential minerals and amylase. The sublingual glands are well below the tongue. These glands produce saliva (spit) and expel it into the mouth by tiny openings called ducts. When saliva percolates in the mouth, it digs up food waste, microbial communities, and leukocytes. It greases and hydrates the interior of the mouth to support communication and also to turn food into liquid and semi mass that could be tasted and consumed more easily. The intestinal roles of saliva involve hydrating food and continuing to make the food bolus so that it is consumed comfortably. Saliva produces the amylase enzyme that disintegrates starch into maltose and dextrin. Therefore the digestion happens in the mouth, well before food enters the stomach.
So, the correct answer is option A.

Additional information: Saliva preserves the pH in the mouth. Saliva is completely saturated with a variety of ions. Some salivary proteins inhibit precipitation that might form salts. Such ions create a barrier, maintaining the acidity of the mouth under a certain limit. The general belief is that the saliva has natural disinfectants, which makes people believe that it is helpful to lick their wounds. In the ability to taste, saliva is really necessary.

Note: Saliva is an extracellular liquid created and metabolised by salivary glands in the mouth. In mammals, saliva is 99.5 percent water including electrolytes, mucus, leukocytes, epithelial cells, enzymes, antimicrobial compounds like secretive IgA, and lysozymes. Saliva is profoundly connected to the health or activities of our body, including gums and teeth.