OT Child Development & Intervention Strategies Practice Test

Which phase involves moving food posteriorly in the mouth?

Oral propulsive phase Oral preparatory phase Pharyngeal swallow Esophageal transit

Correct Answer:

Oral propulsive phase

Explanation:

When swallowing, the action of moving the formed bolus toward the back of the mouth is driven by the tongue and oral muscles in the oral propulsive phase. In this phase, the bolus is actively pushed posteriorly so it can enter the oropharynx and trigger the next stages of swallowing. This differs from the oral preparatory phase, where the focus is on chewing and forming the bolus, the pharyngeal swallow which is the reflex that moves the bolus through the pharynx and protects the airway, and esophageal transit, which carries the bolus down the esophagus to the stomach. So, moving food posteriorly in the mouth is the oral propulsive phase.

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