The tongue is a strong, flexible, and muscular organ located in the mouth. It plays a key role in everyday actions such as eating, speaking, and interacting with our environment. Covered with a moist mucous membrane, the surface of the tongue contains many tiny bumps called papillae, some of which house the taste buds. These taste buds detect different tastes like sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami, allowing us to enjoy a wide variety of flavors.

The tongue is made up of several groups of muscles that work together to allow precise and varied movements. It can change shape, stretch, curl, and move in different directions with great control. This is what makes it so important for helping to position food during chewing, as well as shaping sounds during speech.

The upper surface of the tongue (the dorsum) has a rough texture because of the papillae, while the underside is smoother and has visible blood vessels. The tongue is attached at the back to the floor of the mouth, and at the front, it is connected by a small fold of tissue called the lingual frenulum. In addition to aiding in eating and talking, the tongue also plays a role in keeping the mouth clean by helping move food particles around and aiding in swallowing.