8 - oral cavity Flashcards
What is the mouth (what area does it cover)
From the lips to the pharynx
What is the oral cavity proper?
What does it communicate with?
Space between teeth - it communicates with the pharynx
What is the oral vestibule?
Space between the teeth and cheek.
It can be labial or buccal
What are the 3 functions of the oral cavity?
- Prehension and mastication
- Insalivation of food
- Aggression and defence
What does prehension mean?
Holding food
What does masticating mean?
Chewing food
Describe what the soft palate is
It is the caudal part of the roof of the mouth and it is muscles covered with mucous membrane (musculomucosal)
What does the soft palate do?
Closes the nasal passage during swallowing so the food doesnt travel to the trachea it goes down the oesophagus
Which species has a very long soft palate?
What is the significance of this?
Horse
It makes it hard for the horse to breathe through the mouth - they are obligatory nasal breathers.
What is the hard palate?
The rostral part of the roof of the mouth
Describe the basic structure of the hard palate and the significance of these features where needed
- It is keratinised - for protection
- It has ridges t help grip food and move it around
- It is made up of the palatine bone covered with mucous membrane
- There is an incisive papilla at the front which aids in smell and taste
Describe the tongue structure
It is a core muscle covered by stratified squamous epithelium
Where does the tongue occupy
The ventral aspect of the oral cavity
What is the tongue attached to and why is this relevent?
It is attached to the hyoid bone and mandible so is mobile
What does the surface of the tongue have on it?
Papillae and taste buds
