Oral Cavity-Tongue Flashcards
What is the oral cavity proper?
The space between the teeth on the left and right side of the oral cavity
What is the oral vestibule?
The space between the teeth and the cheeks
Which muscles form the cheeks?
Buccinator muscles
What is the Latin term for the lips?
Labia oris
How do the lips vary between species?
Varying degrees of mobility and appearance e.g stiffer in pigs, more mobile in horses
Describe the innervation of the lips
Innervated by three branches of the trigeminal nerve
Which minor salivary glands are present in the lips?
Labial glands
Which type of epithelium lines the lips?
Stratified squamous
Describe the position of the palate.
The dorsal wall of the oral cavity, comprising of the hard palate rostrally and the soft palate caudally
Describe the structure of the soft palate.
Muscle fibres and connective tissue covered with mucous membrane
What is the function of the soft palate?
It closes the nasal passage during swallowing
Why are horses obligatory nose breathers?
They have a very long soft palate and the epiglottis sits on top of the soft palate, which blocks airflow from mouth to trachea
Describe the structure of the hard palate.
