Cat Got Your Tongue?
How the Human Tongue Works
The tongue is an organ, made up of two types of muscles. The tongue, as well as the cheeks, is part of the digestive process. The tongue is the first stage of digestion; it breaks up the food in the mouth. The tongue can move in almost any direction.
Two types of Muscles
The two types of muscles that make up the tongue are, intrinsic and extrinsic. Extrinsic muscles attach the tongue to other parts of the body. Styloglossus is the muscle that pulls the tongue back. The genioglossus is the one that pushes the tongue out. These muscles attach to the jaw bone, and three others. (The styloid, temporal lobes, and the hyoid bone.)
Intrinsic muscles are inside the tongue, they help the tongue expand and contract and also to change its shape. Many of the intrinsic muscles help you talk. (health.howstuffworks.com/tongue1.html)
