Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Wanida Sripairojthikoon
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Dentistry
Mahidol University
Outline of contents
• Deglutition = Swallowing
• Digestive system and its
organs
• Definition of deglutition
• Stages of deglutiton
• Deglutition reflex
• Deglutition disorder
Digestive system
• Digestive system
– function to prepare food
for cellular utilization
– involve following
activities :
• ingestion
• mastication
• deglutition
• peristalsis
• digestion
• absorption
• defecation
• Deglutition is one activity of
digestive system
Organs of digestive system
• Tubular gastrointestinal
tract (GI tract)
– From mouth to anus, 6-9
meters long
– Oral cavity, pharynx,
esophagus, stomach,
small intestine, large
intestine and anus
• Accessory digestive
organs
– Salivary glands,
pancreas, liver and gall
bladder
Deglutition = Swallowing
Oropharynx
Oral cavity, upper opening of digestive system, contains tongue and teeth
Palate
• Sensory impulses
transmitted as a result of
stimulation of deglutition
receptors on the fauces
– Tonsils
– Soft palate
– Base of tongue
– Posterior pharyngeal wall
• By the 7th, 9th and 10th
cranial nerves
Deglutition reflex
• Sensory impulses reach
the deglutition center in
brain stem
• Motor function is
mediated through the
5th, 9th, 10th and 12th
cranial nerves
• To initiate muscle
contraction
– Elevation of soft palate
– Elevation and closure of
larynx
– Peristalsis of pharynx and
esophagus.
Deglutition disorder
• Difficulty of deglutition is known as dysphagia
• Deglutition can be restricted if the muscle of the mouth,
pharynx, larynx or esophagus are weak or uncoordinated.
– Tongue dysfunction – prevent normal bolus movement through the
oral cavity
– Palatal dysfunction – nasal regurgitation during deglutition
– Dysfunction of pharyngeal constrictors
• poor bolus propulsion through pharynx
• Pooled bolus can then easily spill over into larynx
– Dysfuction of larynx – can cause aspiration. If larynx does not
close off and tilt out of the way at the right moment, food or drink
may get into airway.
– Dysfunction of upper esophageal sphincter - lead to difficult
passing from pharynx into esophagus
• Deglutition problem can lead to coughing, airway obstruction,
pneumonia and even death
Essential requirements of deglutition
1. Preparation of suitable size and consistency of
bolus
2. Prevention of bolus disperse during various phases
of deglutition
3. Create pressure to propel bolus in forward direction
4. Prevention of bolus to enter nasopharynx and
larynx
5. Rapid passage through pharynx to esophagus
during stop breathing
6. Prevent reflux from stomach into esophagus
7. Final clearance of residue from the tract
Eat and drink safety