Oral Cavity and Salivary Glands

Oral Cavity (Mouth)

Lined by the SSNKE except the hard palate, gingiva and filiform papillae
of tongue which are cornified.
Boundaries:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Anteriorly - lips
Superiorly - hard and soft palate
Inferiorly - floor of the mouth, tongue
Posteriorly - oropharyngeal isthmus

Submucosa - present only in:

1. Lips
2. Cheeks
3. Soft Palate

Hard Palate - no Submucosa, mucosa firmly adherent to the periosteum.

Subdivided into:

1. Oral Vestibule - cleft-like interval between the gums and teeth internally
and the lips and cheeks externally
2. Oral Cavity Proper - large cavity behind the gums and teeth

Communicate through the RETROMOLAR SPACE (between the last two

molars and the Ramos of the mandible)

Structures in the Oral Cavity

1. LIPS - upper and lower.
Layers: a. skin - SSKE
b. Superficial fascia
c. Orbicularis oris muscle
d. Submucosa - labial glands (small salivary glands)
e. mucosa - SSNKE
Vermilion Border - muco-cutaneous junction (SSKE -> SSNKE)
- No hair follicles, sweat glands and sebaceous glands
2. CHEEKS
Layers:
a. Skin - SSKE
b. Superficial fascia - buccaneer fat pad

c. Bucco-pharyngeal fascia
d. Buccinator muscle
e. Submucosa - buccal glands (small salivary glands)
f. Mucosa - SSNKE
3. TONGUE
Mobile, muscular organ
Dorsum is rough containing lingual papillae
Divided into:
1. Anterior 2/3 (Palatine portion)
2. Posterior 1/3 (Pharyngeal portion)
..... Bounded by the sulcus terminal is.
4 Types of Lingual Papillae
1. Filiform Papillae - most numerous; arranged in rows diverging to the right
and the left from the midline parallel to the sulcus terminalis; has fingerlike
projections (Core: DCT and lamina propria); No taste buds; SSKE
2. Fungiform Papillae - constricted base and expanded surface; mostly at the
tip of the tongue; contain taste buds; SSNKE
3. Foliate Papillae - leaf-like, rudimentary in man; dorsolateral margin of the
tongue; contain taste buds; SSNKE
4. Circumvallate Papillae - largest; in front of the sulcus terminalis; arranged
in rows (10-12); contain taste buds; SSNKE
Undersurface of the Tongue Contains small salivary glands called Lingual
Glands.
1. Anterior Lingual Glands (Blandin and Nuhn) - mucoserous glands
2. Posterior lingual glands (Von-Ebners) - purely serous glands
4. GUMS (Gingiva)
Lined by SSKE
mucosa is firmly adherent to the perichondrium or periosteum ->
mucoperichondrium or mucoperiosteum, respectively.
5. TEETH
- 2 SETS:
1. Temporary - deciduous or milk teeth; 20 in number; erupt from the 6th
month up to the 6th year
2. Permanent - 32 in number; erupt from the 6th year to the 25th year

Parts of a Tooth
1. Crown - the part of the tooth that is visible
2. Root - the part of the tooth that extends into the jawbone. It makes up
about two-thirds of the tooth.
3. Enamel - the strong, white covering of the tooth
4. Dentin - a yellow bonelike material under the enamel and cementum. It
contains nerve fibers.

5. Pulp - the soft center of a tooth. It contains blood vessels and nerves. It
nourishes the tooth and sends signals to the brain.
6. Cementum - a layer of hard, tough tissue that covers the root. It helps
attach the tooth to the jawbone.
7. Periodontal ligament - the soft layer between the cementum and the
jawbone.

Enamel - secreted by ameloblasts

Dentin - formed by odontoblasts
Cementum - secreted by cementocytes

Salivary Glands.

Branched, tubulo-alveolar glands that secrete saliva into the oral cavity
Saliva - colorless, contains H2O, carbohydrates, proteins, mucin, mineral
salts, ptyalin, desquamated epithelial cells, salivary corpuscles
(degenerating WBCs) and immunoglobulins.

Classification of Salivary Glands

As to size:
1. Small - labial, buccal, lingual, and palatine
2. Large - submandibular, sublingual, and parotid glands
As to nature of secretion:
1. Serous - watery type e.g. Parotid and Von-Ebner's glands
2. Mucous - Viscid type e.g. Palatine glands ay the root of the tongue
3. Mixed - muco-serous secretions; submandibular (mixed serous);
sublingual and other small salivary glands (mixed mucous)
As to site of opening of the excretory ducts:
1. Opens to oral vestibule - parotid, labial and buccal glands.
2. Opens to oral cavity proper - submandibular; sublingual; lingual and
palatine glands

Duct System of Large Salivary Glands

1. Intercalated Duct - continuous with the lumen of the acinus and lined by
simple cuboidal epithelium.
2. Striated Duct (Intralobular duct) - with striations found in the infranuclear
portion, lined by simple columnar epithelium.
3. Interlobular Duct - found between lobules of the gland, bigger in size, lined
by simple columnar epithelium -> stratified columnar epithelium ->
stratified columnar -> SSNKE

Salivary Glands
1. Parotid Glands
largest;
lies below and in front of auricle overlying the masseter muscle;
fibrous capsule divides the gland into lobules;
numerous intercalated and striated ducts;
main duct is Stensen's duct (opposite the upper 2nd molar);
purely serous gland
2. Submandibular (Submaxillary) Glands
second largest;
fibrous capsule that divides the gland into lobules;
lies underneath the body of the mandible;
numerous intercalated striated ducts;
Main duct is Whaton's duct;
mixed gland predominantly serous (presence of demilunes of
Gianuzzi or serous crescents)
3. Sublingual glands
smallest among the three
lies in the Submucosa of the floor of the oral cavity;
no fibrous capsule;
Interlobular CT divides the glands into lobules;
presence of demilunes of Gianuzzi or serous crescents;
few intercalated, rare or absent striated ducts;
excretory ducts:
o Bartholins duct - opens along the side of Whatons duct
o Ducts of RIvinus open long the sublingual folds
Mixed glad, predominantly mucous