The two main processes that take place in the digestion of food are Swallowing and Peristalsis.
1.3.1 Swallowing
In swallowing the following actions take place: (a) The tongue presses upwards and back against the roof of the mouth forcing bolus, to the back of the mouth. (b) The soft palate closes the nasal cavity at the back. (c) The larynx cartilage around the top of the trachea is pulled upwards so that glottis (opening of trachea) lies under the back of the tongue. (d) The epiglottis (a flap of cartilage) helps to prevent the food from entering glottis instead of oesophagus. The beginning of the swallowing action is voluntary, but once the food reaches the back of the mouth, swallowing becomes an automatic or involuntary action: The food is forced into and down the oesophagus by peristalsis.
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