Understanding oral anatomy is essential to appreciating how your mouth works to support everyday functions like speaking, eating, and breathing. Each structure inside the mouth plays a specific role in maintaining oral health and overall well-being. Here’s a clear overview of the different parts of the mouth and their purposes.
Lips and Cheeks
The lips form the front opening of the mouth and help with speech, facial expressions, and keeping food inside while chewing. The cheeks create the side walls of the mouth and assist in holding food between the teeth during chewing. Both are made of muscle and lined with moist tissue, helping protect the mouth and aid in articulation.
Teeth
Teeth are designed for biting, tearing, and grinding food to prepare it for digestion. Adults typically have 32 teeth, including incisors for cutting, canines for tearing, premolars, and molars for crushing and grinding. Healthy teeth are vital not only for chewing but also for proper speech and maintaining facial structure.
Gums (Gingiva)
The gums surround and support the teeth, helping anchor them securely in place. Healthy gums form a protective seal around each tooth, preventing bacteria from reaching deeper structures like the jawbone. Pink, firm gums are a sign of good oral health, while inflammation or bleeding can indicate gum disease.
Tongue
The tongue is a strong, flexible muscle that plays a key role in tasting, chewing, swallowing, and speaking. Tiny bumps called papillae cover its surface and contain taste buds that detect sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami flavors. The tongue also helps move food around the mouth and form it into a bolus for swallowing.
Hard and Soft Palate
The palate is the roof of the mouth and is divided into two parts. The hard palate, located at the front, separates the mouth from the nasal cavity and provides a rigid surface for chewing. The soft palate, found toward the back, moves during swallowing to prevent food and liquids from entering the nasal passages.
Uvula
Hanging from the back of the soft palate, the uvula helps with speech and swallowing. It assists in directing food down the throat and contributes to certain speech sounds.
Salivary Glands
Major salivary glands—the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands—produce saliva. Saliva keeps the mouth moist, begins digestion, washes away food particles, and helps protect teeth from decay.
Understanding these parts of the mouth highlights how interconnected oral anatomy is and why proper dental care is essential for keeping every component healthy and functioning as it should.
About the Author
Dr. Alexandria N. Arditti has been a dentist in Huntington Beach since 2017. She earned her doctor of dental surgery from the prestigious Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry at the University of Southern California. Dr. Arditti also has more than 250 hours of training as a yoga instructor and believes in incorporating her love of yoga and interest in mind/body wellness into dental care plans. If you’re in need of a dentist to provide excellent preventive care, schedule an appointment online with us or call (714) 592-4294.