Mouth (human)
Head and neck.
A human mouth, closed.
Latin	cavitas oris
MeSH	Oral+cavity
Dorlands/Elsevier	c_16/12220513

The human mouth (or oral cavity) is covered by an upper and lower lip.

The mouth starts digestion by physically chewing the food and breaking it down with saliva.

The average male mouth holds a volume of about 100mL.

Function

The mouth plays an important role in speech (it is part of the vocal apparatus), facial expression, kissing, eating, drinking (especially with a straw), breathing, and smoking.

Infants are born with a sucking reflex, by which they instinctively know to suck for nourishment using their lips and jaw.

Cultural aspects

According to general etiquette, the mouth is kept closed, especially when chewing.

Lips are often adorned with lipstick or lip gloss although in most human cultures this is an affectation for females only.

Piercings have been made popular by the younger generations. Lip, tongue, and the 'Monroe' (Monroe piercing is a stud piercing placed on one's face in the same area as Marilyn Monroe's well known and prominent birthmark was) are piercings seen in many varieties. Piercings of any sort besides two subtle earrings are seen as rebellious to the norm in many western cultures.

Development

The philtrum is the vertical groove in the upper lip, formed where the nasomedial and maxillary processes meet during embryo development. When these processes fail to fuse fully, a hare lip and/or cleft palate can result.

The nasolabial folds are the deep creases of tissue that extend from the nose to the sides of the mouth. One of the first signs of age on the human face is the increase in prominence of the nasolabial folds.

See also

• Head and neck anatomy
• Mouth breathing

Additional images

Sagittal section of nose mouth, pharynx, and larynx.

External links

• oral+cavity at eMedicine Dictionary

v • d • e Anatomy of torso, digestive system: Gastrointestinal tract
Upper GI: to stomach	Mouth • Pharynx (nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx) • Esophagus • Crop
Upper GI: stomach	rugae - gastric pits - cardia/gland - fundus/gland - pylorus/gland - pyloric antrum - greater curvature - lesser curvature
Lower GI: intestines	Small intestine: Duodenum (Suspensory muscle, Major duodenal papilla, Minor duodenal papilla) • Duodenojejunal flexure • Jejunum • Ileum Vermiform appendix • Ileocecal valve Large intestine: Cecum • Colon (ascending colon, hepatic flexure, transverse colon, splenic flexure, descending colon, sigmoid colon)
Lower GI: after intestines	Rectum (Houston valve, rectal ampulla, pectinate line) • Anal canal (anal valves, anal sinuses, anal columns) - Anus: Sphincter ani internus muscle • Sphincter ani externus muscle
Lower GI: continuous	GALT: Peyer's patches (M cells) - intestinal villus • crypts of Lieberkühn • circular folds • LI only (taenia coli, haustra, epiploic appendix)

[hide] v • d • e General anatomy of head and neck - head
Face/Occiput	Forehead • Eye • Ear • Temple • Cheek • Chin
External nose	Nostril • Nasal septum • Cartilages (Accessory nasal, of the septum, Greater alar, Lateral nasal, Lesser alar, Vomeronasal)  • Olfactory glands
Nasal cavity	Choana • Turbinate • Sphenoethmoidal recess • Ethmoid bulla • Hiatus semilunaris • Ostium maxillare • Inferior meatus • Vomeronasal organ • Paranasal sinus
Mouth/oral cavity	Lip • Philtrum • Jaw • Pterygomandibular raphe
Teeth	Permanent (Incisor, Canine, Premolar, Molar)  • Deciduous
Tongue	Plica fimbriata • Median sulcus • Foramen cecum • Terminal sulcus • Frenulum linguae • Anterior tongue • Posterior tongue
Palate/roof of mouth	Hard palate • Soft palate • Palatine raphe • Incisive papilla • Uvula • Pharyngeal recess • Arches (Palatoglossal, Palatopharyngeal)
Salivary glands	Parotid gland/Parotid duct • Submandibular gland/Submandibular duct • Sublingual gland/Major sublingual duct
Other	fascia (Masseteric fascia, Temporal fascia, Galea aponeurotica) • Scalp

[hide] v • d • e Oral Pathology: Oral pathology (K00-K14, 520-529)
Developmental Anomalies	Anodontia/Hypodontia - Hyperdontia - abnormalities of size and form of teeth (Concrescence, Fusion, Gemination, Dens evaginatus/Talon cusp, Dens invaginatus, Enamel pearl, Macrodontia, Microdontia, Taurodontism) - disturbances in tooth formation (Dilaceration, Regional odontodysplasia, Turner's hypoplasia) - other hereditary disturbances in tooth structure (Amelogenesis imperfecta, Dentinogenesis imperfecta, Dentin dysplasia)
Hard, Soft and Periapical Tissues	Attrition - Abrasion - Ankylosis - Dental caries - Denticles - Erosion - External resorption - Fluorosis - Gingivitis - Impaction - Internal resorption - Periodontitis - Pulpitis - Ulcer
Dentofacial Anomalies	Malocclusion - Micrognathism - Prognathism - Retrognathism - Temporomandibular joint disorder
Maxillomandibular anomalies	Odontogenic keratocyst - Torus mandibularis - Torus palatinus - Cherubism - Ameloblastoma
Salivary glands	Drooling - Benign lymphoepithelial lesion - Necrotizing sialometaplasia - Ranula - Sialadenitis - Sialolithiasis - Stomatitis - Xerostomia - Aphthous ulcer
Lip and Oral mucosa	Angular cheilitis - Erythroplakia - Hairy leukoplakia - Leukoplakia
Tongue	Geographic tongue - Fissured tongue - Glossitis - Glossodynia - Black hairy tongue