By Arthur Kezian

Dr Kezian and staff always ensure their patients are educated about the basics of the mouth and dental health. While some parts do not affect your teeth and gums as much as others, certain parts are essential to preventing tooth decay and gum disease. Other parts often display symptoms of diseases such as oral cancer, providing important diagnostic clues for a dentist. The mouth is made up many parts: teeth, gums, hard palate, soft palate, uvula, salivary glands, tongue, and lips.

The Anatomy of the mouth

The teeth are the most important part of your oral anatomy because of how they define its shape, serve its most useful function, and contribute to the overall aesthetic of your face. Each tooth has a different function, but they all serve the same purpose: processing food for digestion. Your gums are protecting the roots of your teeth where they attach to the jawbone. Oral bacteria can cause infections in the gums that lead to gum disease. Symptoms of gum disease include swelling and chronic bleeding. If left unchecked, gum disease can be a problem to your dental health and lead to tooth and bone loss.

Your tongue contains taste buds. These allow you to taste the food you eat. The tongue is also an essential element of speech. The tongue and lips also display symptoms of specific oral diseases and infections such as late stages of oral cancer and fungal infections related to dry mouth and diabetes.

The hard and soft palates divide your oral cavity from your nasal passages. The hard palate is located near the front of your mouth and the soft palate separates the mouth from the throat. The soft palate also contains the uvula, which is that little piece of dangling flesh in the back of your mouth. Both palates and the uvula often display early signs of oral cancer and you should keep a careful eye on these parts when checking for symptoms of disease.

There are three major salivary glands in your mouth that produce saliva, which serves the key function of washing food particles from your mouth and neutralizing acid that causes enamel erosion. Dry mouth is a condition where a patient produces only small amounts of saliva. This particular condition leads to a number of oral health issues, including tooth decay, bacterial infection, and gum disease.

Taking care of your complete mouth is essential in the maintenance of your oral health. To learn more about how to take care of your complete mouth, schedule an appointment with a dentist.

Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS 443 N. Larchmont Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 467-2777