Question

Digestion begins in the mouth. Which of the following statement is incorrect?

• A. The tongue aids in the digestion of the food.
• B. The saliva changes some of the starches in the food to sugar.
• C. The tongue keeps the food in place in the mouth while the food is being chewed.
• D. The digestive juices can react more easily with food when chewed.

Answer 1

The correct option is A The tongue aids in the digestion of the food.

The tongue consists of eight interwoven, striated muscles that can move in any direction, making it quite flexible. Throughout the muscles are glands and fat, while the outside is covered by a mucus membrane. The top of the tongue, also called as the dorsum, is covered with papillae, tiny nodes that contain the taste buds and the serous glands.

Produced in salivary glands, saliva is 98% water, but it contains many important substances, including electrolytes, mucus, antibacterial compounds and various enzymes. The digestive functions of saliva include moistening food, and helping to create a food bolus, so it can be swallowed easily.

Therefore, the correct answer is option A.