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The mouth is the body orifice through which many animals ingest food and vocalize. The body cavity immediately behind the mouth opening, known as the oral cavity (or cavum oris in Latin ), [ 2 ] is also the first part of the alimentary canal , which leads to the pharynx and the gullet .
In human anatomy, the mouth is the first portion of the alimentary canal that receives food and produces saliva. [2] The oral mucosa is the mucous membrane epithelium lining the inside of the mouth. In addition to its primary role as the beginning of the digestive system, the mouth also plays a significant role in communication.
The mouth is the only place in the body which provides the sensation of taste. Due to these unique physiological features, the oral mucosa must fulfil a number of distinct functions. Protection : One of the main functions of the oral mucosa is to physically protect the underlying tissues from the mechanical forces, microbes and toxins in the mouth.
The mouth consists of two regions; the vestibule and the oral cavity proper. The vestibule is the area between the teeth, lips and cheeks, [ 4 ] and the rest is the oral cavity proper. Most of the oral cavity is lined with oral mucosa , a mucous membrane that produces a lubricating mucus , of which only a small amount is needed.
The hard palate on the roof of the mouth ; The soft palate further back on the roof of the mouth ; The uvula hanging down at the entrance to the throat ; The throat itself, a.k.a. the pharynx ; The epiglottis at the entrance to the windpipe, above the voice box ; The regions are not strictly separated.
Oral and maxillofacial pathology refers to the diseases of the mouth ("oral cavity" or "stoma"), jaws ("maxillae" or "gnath") and related structures such as salivary glands, temporomandibular joints, facial muscles and perioral skin (the skin around the mouth). [1] [2] The mouth is an important organ with many different functions. It is also ...
The tongue is a muscular organ in the mouth of a typical tetrapod. It manipulates food for chewing and swallowing as part of the digestive process, and is the primary organ of taste. The tongue's upper surface (dorsum) is covered by taste buds housed in numerous lingual papillae.
The palate (/ ˈ p æ l ɪ t /) is the roof of the mouth in humans and other mammals.It separates the oral cavity from the nasal cavity. [1] A similar structure is found in crocodilians, but in most other tetrapods, the oral and nasal cavities are not truly separated.