![]() ![]() Two muscular folds extend downward from the soft palate, on either side of the uvula. Unfortunately, it can also contribute to the sound produced by snoring. When you swallow, the soft palate and uvula move upward, helping to keep foods and liquid from entering the nasal cavity. Although some have suggested that the uvula is a vestigial organ, it serves an important purpose. You can therefore manipulate, subconsciously, the soft palate-for instance, to yawn, swallow, or sing (see Figure 23.7).įigure 23.7 Mouth The mouth includes the lips, tongue, palate, gums, and teeth.Ī fleshy bead of tissue called the uvula drops down from the center of the posterior edge of the soft palate. This part of the palate, known as the soft palate, is composed mainly of skeletal muscle. If you run your tongue along the roof of your mouth, you’ll notice that the hard palate ends in the posterior oral cavity, and the tissue becomes fleshier. ![]() It is created by the maxillary and palatine bones of the skull and, given its bony structure, is known as the hard palate. The anterior region of the palate serves as a wall (or septum) between the oral and nasal cavities as well as a rigid shelf against which the tongue can push food. The next time you have food in your mouth, notice how the arched shape of the roof of your mouth allows you to handle both digestion and respiration at the same time. When you are chewing, you do not find it difficult to breathe simultaneously. The main open area of the mouth, or oral cavity proper, runs from the gums and teeth to the fauces. Moving farther into the mouth, the opening between the oral cavity and throat (oropharynx) is called the fauces (like the kitchen "faucet"). The pocket-like part of the mouth that is framed on the inside by the gums and teeth, and on the outside by the cheeks and lips is called the oral vestibule. ![]() Additionally, notice how these muscles work when you are speaking. The next time you eat some food, notice how the buccinator muscles in your cheeks and the orbicularis oris muscle in your lips contract, helping you keep the food from falling out of your mouth. Between the skin and mucous membranes are connective tissue and buccinator muscles. This membrane is made up of non-keratinized, stratified squamous epithelium. While their outer covering is skin, their inner covering is mucous membrane. The cheeks make up the oral cavity’s sidewalls. The labial frenulum is a midline fold of mucous membrane that attaches the inner surface of each lip to the gum. Lips are very vascular with a thin layer of keratin hence, the reason they are "red." They have a huge representation on the cerebral cortex, which probably explains the human fascination with kissing! The lips cover the orbicularis oris muscle, which regulates what comes in and goes out of the mouth. Their outer covering is skin, which transitions to a mucous membrane in the mouth proper. The structures of the mouth are illustrated in Figure 23.7.Īt the entrance to the mouth are the lips, or labia (singular = labium). The cheeks, tongue, and palate frame the mouth, which is also called the oral cavity (or buccal cavity). In this section, you will examine the anatomy and functions of the three main organs of the upper alimentary canal-the mouth, pharynx, and esophagus-as well as three associated accessory organs-the tongue, salivary glands, and teeth. Trace the pathway food follows from ingestion into the mouth through release into the stomach.Describe the process of swallowing, including the roles of the tongue, upper esophageal sphincter, and epiglottis.Group the 32 adult teeth according to name, location, and function.Describe the structures of the mouth, including its three accessory digestive organs.By the end of this section, you will be able to: ![]()
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