PhysiologyLesson 3 of 7 in the course The Digestive System

Oral Structures, Swallowing, and Esophageal Transport

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

The mouth begins digestion by receiving food, mechanically manipulating it, and preparing it for swallowing. This lesson introduces the regions of the oral cavity, the palate and tonsils, and the tongue’s muscular and sensory roles.

The mouth, also called the oral cavity or buccal cavity, is framed by the cheeks, tongue, and palate. The lips form its entrance. Their skin transitions to mucous membrane inside the mouth, and their thinly keratinized, highly vascular covering gives them a reddish appearance. The orbicularis oris muscle beneath the lips helps control what enters and leaves the mouth. A labial frenulum is a midline fold connecting the inner surface of a lip to the gum.

All flashcards

What is the fauces?
The opening connecting the oral cavity to the oropharynx.
How do the hard and soft palates differ?
The hard palate is the bony anterior roof of the mouth; the soft palate is the muscular posterior portion that moves during swallowing and speech.
What is a bolus?
A rounded mass of food gathered by the tongue and prepared to be swallowed.
What do intrinsic and extrinsic tongue muscles do?
Intrinsic muscles change the tongue’s shape and size; extrinsic muscles move the tongue as a whole.
What are the three phases of deglutition?
The voluntary oral phase, followed by the involuntary pharyngeal and esophageal phases.

Quiz questions

  1. Which permanent teeth are primarily used to pierce and tear food?Answer: Canines.
  2. Which region of the pharynx carries air and food and connects to the esophagus posteriorly?Answer: The laryngopharynx.
  3. How does peristalsis propel a bolus through the esophagus?Answer: Circular muscle contracts behind it while longitudinal muscle shortens the region ahead.
  4. What is a primary function of the lower esophageal sphincter?Answer: It relaxes to let food enter the stomach and contracts afterward to help limit reflux.
  5. How does skeletal and smooth muscle distribution change along the esophagus?Answer: The upper third is skeletal, the middle third contains both, and the lower third is smooth.

Based on Anatomy and Physiology 2e by J. Gordon Betts, Kelly A. Young, James A. Wise, Eddie Johnson, Brandon Poe, Dean H. Kruse, Oksana Korol, Jody E. Johnson, Mark Womble, Peter DeSaix (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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