Oral Environment 1 Flashcards
What are the oral fluids?
saliva (from major and minor salivary glands)
gingival crevicular fluid
oral bacteria
food debris
epithelial cells
What are some food debris that can reduce caries?
cheese, milk, yoghurt
What bacteria is responsible for caries?
strep mutans
What are some of the PROTECTIVE functions of oral fluids?
- Cleansing (removing things from the oral cavity)
- Mucosal protection
- Buffering
- Remineralisation
- Antimicrobial
What are some of the DIGESTIVE functions of oral fluids?
- Taste
- Digestive enzymes
- Lubricates bolus (of food) for chewing/swallowing
What can occur as a consequence of reduced salivary flow?
increased incidence of dental caries
What is Xerostomia?
Dry mouth
- A prominent symptom for patients with salivary gland disease
What is the most common cause of lack of saliva/Xerostomia?
use of drugs/medication
What type of glands are salivary glands?
exocrine
What is the arrangement of salivary glands?
compound, tubulo-acinar arrangement
What are anatomically distinct and identifiable glands?
major glands
What are more diffuse collections of glandular tissue lying in the lamina propria?
minor glands
What are the 3 major salivary glands?
- Parotid
- Submandibular
- Sublingual
What are the minor salivary glands?
- Buccal (in cheek)
- Labial (in lip)
- Lingual (in tongue)
- Palatal (in hard and soft palate)
What is an acinus?
- A secretory unit
- Acinus cells produce saliva - these are taken to intercalated duct which is then taken to striated duct - this modifies the saliva and then the saliva is collected into the collecting ducts
What do serous acinus glands appear as histologically?
stain darker and smoother, more clear. nuclei are polarised but not as much as mucous
pink
What do mucous acinus glands appear as histologically?
have the nuclei near the edge and are very polarised. cytoplasm is foamy and frothy due to proteins therefore causing a pale, non-specified appearance.
blue
What do mixed acinus glands appear as histologically?
have both qualities of serous and mucous
What is gingival crevicular fluid?
fluid from the epithelium lining the gingival crevice
What does little GCF mean?
healthy gingiva
What does high GCF mean
inflammation
When is salivary flow at its greatest?
while eating
What type of secretions do the major salivary glands secrete?
parotid - serous
sublingual - mucous and little serous
submandibular - mixed
What type of secretions do the minor salivary glands secrete?
buccal - mucous
labial - mucous
palatal - mucous
lingual - serous and mucous (non mixed)
