Anatomy: Mouth to Oesophagus Flashcards
What is the first part of the digestive system and what are its three major functions?
The oral cavity is the first part of the digestive system. It has three major functions:
- Digestion: receives food, preparing it for digestion in the stomach and small intestine.
- Communication: modifies the sound produced in the larynx to create a range of sounds.
- Breathing: acts as an air inlet in addition to the nasal cavity
What structures are housed by the oral cavity?
The oral cavity houses a number of structures, which include the teeth, the tongue and associated structures such as the salivary glands.
What is the oral cavity proper?
This is the space located inside the teeth. It is occupied mostly by the tongue.
Where does each salivary gland drain to?
Parotid - upper second molar
Sublingual - sublingual folds
Submandibular - either side of frenulum
How would you test the hypoglossal nerve in the tongue?
Ask patient to stick their tongue out, and see if it sticks out straight or if it tends towards one side, or if one side of the tongue seems wasted.
What is the vestibule?
This is the space between the cheeks and the teeth.
What is the hard palate?
The hard palate (along with the soft palate) make up the roof of the oral cavity.
What is the frenulum?
The tongue is attached to the floor of the oral cavity by a fold of mucosa called the frenulum.
What is the soft palate?
The soft palate (along with the hard palate) makes up the roof of the oral cavity.
What is the uvula?
The uvula is the midline extension of mucosa of the soft palate.
What are the palatine tonsils?
The palatine tonsils are found between two arches of mucosa that project down from the soft palate.
What is the palatopharyngeal arch?
The palatopharyngeal arch lies posterior to the palatine tonsils.
What is the palatoglossal arch?
The palatoglossal arch lies anterior to the palatine tonsils.
What are the parotid glands?
The parotid glands are large salivary glands which lie just in front of each ear, in the parotid region.
What is the parotid region bound by?
The parotid region is bounded by the zygomatic arch (superiorly), inferior border of the mandible (inferiorly), masseter muscle (anteriorly) and external ear and sternocleidomastoid (posteriorly).
What is the parotid duct and where is it located?
The parotid duct secretes saliva into the oral cavity. The duct arises from the anterior surface of the gland, pierces the buccinator and opens out into the oral cavity near the second upper molar.
What are the sublingual glands?
The sublingual glands are almond-shaped and lie on the floor of the oral cavity. underneath the tongue. The sublingual glands form a shallow groove on the medial surface of the mandible known as the sublingual fossa.
Where are the sublingual glands located?
They open with separate ducts on the sublingual fold (plica sublingualis), a fold of mucous membrane between the tongue and the body of the mandible.
What are the sublingual ducts and where are they located?
Secretions drain into the oral cavity by minor sublingual ducts, each opening out onto the sublingual folds. Each sublingual fold extends from a posterolateral position and traverses anteriorly to join the sublingual papillae at the midline, either side of the lingual frenulum.
What are the submandibular glands?
The submandibular glands are bilateral salivary glands located in the face. Their mixed serous and mucous secretions are important for the lubrication of food during mastication to enable effective swallowing and aid digestion.
Where are the submandibular glands located and what do they look like?
Located in the submandibular triangle, the submandibular glands are a pair of elongate, flattened “hook-like” glands.
What are the submandibular glands and where are they located?
Secretions from the submandibular glands travel into the oral cavity via the submandibular duct. The duct opens on a small sublingual papilla (caruncle) at the base of the lingual frenulum bilaterally.
What are the salivary glands innervated by, and in which way?
The salivary glands are innervated by cranial nerves. The glands receive both sensory supply and motor innervation. The motor innervation increases saliva production and is therefore termed secretomotor supply.
Is secretomotor supply to the salivary glands sympathetic or parasympathetic?
Parasympathetic