Oral Cavity

Question 1

What does the term prehension mean?

Answer 1

The act of getting food into the mouth

Question 2

What does mastication mean?

Answer 2

Mechanical breakdown of food using the teeth

Question 3

What does deglutition mean?

Answer 3

Swallowing (when food passes from the oral cavity to the oesophagus)

Question 4

What is the correct anatomical term for the lips?

Answer 4

Labia oris - labia superius (upper lip), labia inferius (lower lip)

Question 5

Where is the vestibule in the oral cavity?

Answer 5

Between the teeth and cheeks

Question 6

What is the philtrum?

Answer 6

The medial line between two nostrils

Question 7

Where is the medial sulcus?

Answer 7

• Runs along the medial line of the tongue
• A furrow in the centre of the tongue

Question 8

Where is the palatine raphe?

Answer 8

Along the medial line of the herd and soft palate

Question 9

Where is the palatine raphe?

Answer 9

Along the medial line of the herd and soft palate

Question 10

What two structures combine to form the pharynx?

Answer 10

The nasopharynx and the oropharynx

Question 11

What structure of the buccaneer cavity is unique to the equine head?

Answer 11

The guttural pouch

Question 12

What are the impacts of brachycephalic breeds on the oral cavity?

Answer 12

• They have an elongates, thickened soft palate
• Suffer from laryngeal collapse
• Narrowing of the trachea
• Have laryngeal saccules which can block the airway
• Stenotic nares
• BOAS

Question 13

What 4 key muscles are involved in prehension? What does each one do?

Answer 13

• Zygomaticus (opens the mouth)
• Levator labii superioris (elevates the top lip and draws it to one side)
• Buccinator (keeps food between the teeth whilst chewing)
• Orbicularis oris (closes the lips so food and water stay in the mouth)

Question 14

What is the interdental space?

Answer 14

This is only present in horses, and is the space between the incisors and cheek teeth (good for bit)

Question 15

What is the dental pad and where is it found?

Answer 15

Found in ruminants. No upper incisors, there is a hard palate there instead.

Question 16

What does the frenulum do?

Answer 16

Frenulum attaches the body of the tongue to the floor of the oral cavity.

Question 17

What is the difference between ruminant and pig tongues and the tongues of horses and dogs

Answer 17

• Horses and dogs have a U shaped tongue
• Ruminant and pigs have a V shaped tongue

Question 18

What is the torus linguae and what does it do?

Answer 18

It is a swelling in the tongue which pushes food against the hard palate

Question 19

What are the 6 functions of the tongue?

Answer 19

1) Grooming
2) Lapping
3) Prehension
4) Manipulation
5) Deglutition
6) Vocalisation

Question 20

Where are the intrinsic muscles of the tongue? What is their function?

Answer 20

• Intrinsic muscles found inside the tongue
• There are dorsal and ventral longitudinal muscles
• These muscles shorten, flatten and narrow the tongue

Question 21

What are the 4 extrinsic muscles of the tongue?

Answer 21

1) Styloglossus
2) Genioglossus
3) Hyloglossus
4) Geniohyoideus

Question 22

For each of these 4 extrinsic muscles, where are they and what do they do?

Answer 22

• Styloglossus retracts and elevates the tongue (attaches to the styloid bone)
• Genioglossus protrudes and depresses the tongue (attaches to the chin)
• Hyloglossus retracts and depresses the tongue (attaches to the hyoid apparatus)
• Geniohyoideus pulls the tongue forward (attaches to hyoid)

Question 23

For each of these 4 extrinsic muscles, where are they and what do they do?

Answer 23

• Styloglossus retracts and elevates the tongue (attaches to the styloid bone)
• Genioglossus protrudes and depresses the tongue (attaches to the chin)
• Hyloglossus retracts and depresses the tongue (attaches to the hyoid apparatus)
• Geniohyoideus pulls the tongue forward (attaches to hyoid)

Question 24

What is the lyssa?

Answer 24

A cartilaginous bone medially on the ventral side of the tongue apex
It is used to curve the tongue and facilitate prehension/ lapping

Question 25

What nerve is responsible for movement of the tongue?

Answer 25

Hypoglossal nerve

Question 26

What nerve links to the senses of the tongue?

Answer 26

Trigeminal nerve

Question 27

What nerve controls taste senses in the tongue?

Answer 27

Glossopharangeal nerve

Question 28

What is the main blood vessel in the tongue?

Answer 28

Lingual artery

Question 29

What are the 5 types of papillae found on the tongue?

Answer 29

1) Conical (Mechanical)
2) Foliate (Gustatory)
3) Valiate (Gustatory)
4) Fungiform (Gustatory)
5) Filiform (Mechanical)

Question 30

What are the 4 major salivary glands in the oral cavity?

Answer 30

1) Parotid
2) Mandibular
3) Sublingual
4) Zygomatic

Question 31

Where is the parotid gland found?

Answer 31

Found at the base of the ear

Question 32

Where is the mandibular gland found?

Answer 32

• Sits ventral to the parotid gland
• Gland comes in under the tongue

Question 33

Where is the zygomatic gland found?

Answer 33

• Found between the mucosa and buccal muscles
• Duct opens into the vestibule
• Sits around the zygomatic arch of the skull

Question 34

What are the 3 minor salivary glands in the oral cavity?

Answer 34

Palatine
Lingual
Buccal (duct opens into the vestibule)

Question 35

What are the 5 functions of saliva

Answer 35

1) Lubricates ingested feed and helps form a bolus
2) Contains amylase for starch digestion
3) Has antimicrobial properties
4) Contains sodium bicarbonate and electrolytes
5) Protects oral mucosa

Question 36

How does the autonomic nervous system affect activity of the oral cavity?

Answer 36

• Activity of the sympathetic nervous system reduces saliva production and causes vasoconstriction
• Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system increases saliva production and causes vasodilation

Question 37

What nerves are involved in saliva production?

Answer 37

Facial, Glossopharangeal, Trigeminal