Final answer:
The stapedius muscle is the smallest muscle in the human body that helps to dampen sound traveling to the oval window.
Step-by-step explanation:
The smallest muscle in the human body that helps to dampen sound traveling to the oval window is the stapedius muscle.
The stapedius muscle is located in the middle ear and is attached to the stapes bone. When sound vibrations are too loud, the stapedius muscle contracts, which reduces the movement of the stapes bone and dampens the sound waves before they reach the inner ear.
This muscle plays an important role in protecting the delicate structures of the inner ear from damage caused by loud noises.