Muscles Involved in Swallowing

  Innervated  by   Muscle   Function  

Obicularis  oris  *   Seal  lips/mouth   Part  of  musculature  
V   ‘sling’  to  create  
Trigeminal  (S)  
Facial  

Tense  cheek  to  maintain  food  btwn  molars   tone  necessary  for  
 
VII   Buccinator  *   Help  close  mouth   positive  pressure  
Facial  (M)   Active  during  sucking   buildup  during  
bolus  propulsion  
Temporalis   Retract  mandible   Raise  mandible  to  
Masseter   CLOSE  jaw  
Masticatory  

   
V   Medial  pterygoid   Brace  mandible  
Trigeminal  
Lower  mandible  to  OPEN  jaw  
Lateral  pterygoid   Protrude  mandible  
Rotary  motion  of  jaw  
Superior     Curl  tongue  tip/sides  
longitudinal   up    
Intrinsic  Tongue  

Shorten  tongue  
Inferior     Curl  tongue  tip/sides  
XII   longitudinal   down  
Hypoglossal   Narrow  &  Lengthen  
Transversus   (Occupy  same  
tongue  
space  in  tongue;   Bolus  prep,  
Widen  &  Flatten  
Verticalis   fibers  interlace)   formation,  
tongue  
positioning,  
Hyoglossus   Pull  tongue  back  
transport  
toward  hyoid  bone  
XII  
Genioglossus   Protrude  tongue  
Extrinsic  

Lower  tongue  
Hypoglossal  
Styloglossus   Raise  &  Retract  
tongue  
IX   Raise  floor  of  tongue  to  approx  tongue  to  
Glossopharyng  
Palatoglossus  *   palatoglossal  arch  to  close  off  oropharynx  
XII  
Hypoglossal  
Geniohyoid   Protract  hyoid  
Lower  mandible  
Raise  &  Stabilize  
Mylohyoid   Raise  &  Stabilize  
Suprahyoid  

V   tongue,  mouth  floor  

hyoid  
Trigeminal   Anterior  belly      
of  digastric   Lower  mandible  to  OPEN  jaw  WHILE  hyoid   Depress  mandible  
Posterior  belly     is  held  in  place   to  OPEN  jaw  
VII   of  digastric  
Facial   Retract  hyoid  
Stylohyoid  
Lengthen  mouth  floor  
 
  Omohyoid  
Infrahyoid  

XII   Pull  mandible  

Thyrohyoid   Raise  thyroid  cartilage/larynx  to  hyoid  
Hypoglossal   inferiorly  to  
Sternohyoid   Lower  thyroid  cartilage   OPEN  jaw  
Lower  hyoid  
  Sternothyroid  
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 Muscles Involved in Swallowing
V  
Trigeminal  
Tensor  veli  palatini   Tense  soft  palate  

X  
Levator  veli  palatini  *   Raise  &  Retract  soft  palate  
Elevate  &  Retract  palate  to  assist  w/VP  closure  and  seal  back  oral  
Vagus  
Palatal  

cavity  
Palatoglossus  *   Raise  posterior  tongue  
XII  
Lower  and  pull  forward  soft  palate  to  contact  back  of  tongue  
Hypoglossal  
Seal  back  oral  cavity  from  oropharynx  via  VP  closure  
Uvular   Raise  uvula  
 
Brace  soft  palate  
Thyroarytenoid   Regulate  tension  of  VF  
Transverse      
arytenoid  
Oblique   Adduct  VF  
Adduct  false  folds  
X   arytenoid  
Laryngeal  

Recurrent   Lateral    
laryngeal   cricoarytenoid  
branch  of   Posterior  
Vagus   ABduct  VF  (at  end  of  swallow)  
cricoarytenoid  
Interarytenoid   Approximate  arytenoids  to  epiglottis  
Aryepiglottic  
Lower  epiglottis  
Thyroepiglottic  
V   Cricopharyngeus   Relax  UES  to  allow  passage  of  bolus  
(Vagus)  
IX   Stylopharyngeus      
Glossopharyng   Raise  &  Shorten  
Palatopharyngeus  *   Lower  palate   pharynx  
Raise  &  Retract  palate  to  assist  w/VP    
closure  and  seal  oral  cavity     Raise  larynx  
Pharyngeal  

Salpingopharyngeus    
XI    
(Accessory)   Raises  soft  palate  to  seal  nasopharynx      
   
Superior  pharyngeal  
Part  of  musculature  ‘sling’  to  create  tone    
constrictor  *   necessary  for  positive  pressure  buildup   Narrow  pharyngeal  
during  bolus  propulsion   lumen  
X   Middle  pharyngeal      
Vagus   constrictor   Bolus  transport  
XI     Inferior  pharyngeal   (Distalmost  component  of  PES)  
(Accessory)   constrictor  

- Muscles involved in creating pressure for bolus propulsion are indicated with *
- All of the floor of the mouth muscles (geniohyoid, mylohyoid, anterior belly of digastric) attach to
the body of the mandible anteriorly and the body of the hyoid posteriorly
- Intrinsic muscles are within the tongue only. Extrinsic muscles attach to part of the skeleton

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