The mouth is one of the most important parts of the body for several reasons. We at Hendersonville Family Dental are passionate about oral health and helping our clients and their children keep their mouths and teeth healthy. It is important to teach your children the different parts of the mouth and how to properly care for their teeth. If you are in need of a new dentist or need more oral health information to teach your children, feel free to reach out to us at Hendersonville Family Dental. Continue reading to learn more.
Purpose Of The Mouth
Before getting into the parts of the mouth, it is important to understand the mouth’s function. The mouth serves primarily two purposes. The first is communication and the second is eating and digestion. Both are rather complicated processes.
Communication
In order for communication to be possible, a myriad of occurrences needs to happen. Sound begins in the throat with air running through the vocal cords. The cords vibrate, creating sound. Once the sound is created, it runs up through the throat and into the mouth, where it is shaped into words by the tongue and the lips.
Digestion
The second purpose that the mouth provides is aiding in digestion. When food enters the mouth it is broken down by the teeth and dampened with saliva. The tongue helps the food move to the back of the throat towards the stomach and also allows people to taste their food. After the food leaves the mouth, the rest of the body works on turning the food into energy.
Parts Of The Mouth
The parts of the mouth consist of the tongue, the teeth, the lips, the mouth cavity, the gums, the salivary glands, the vestibule, and the hard and soft palates. Each of the parts serves a different purpose for the body.
- Tongue- The tongue is made up of muscle tissue and is an integral part of tasting, swallowing, and speaking.
- Teeth- The average person has two sets of teeth in their lifetime; a set of baby teeth and a set of adult teeth. Teeth are used to chew food, making them the first step in digestion.
- Lips- The lips are the outside part of the mouth that protects the inner cavity.
- Mouth Cavity- The mouth cavity is the empty space within the mouth that is surrounded on the sides by the walls of the mouth (gums) and the roof and floor of the mouth (hard and soft palates and the tongue)
- Gums- The gums include tissue that surrounds teeth to keep them in place.
- Salivary glands- Located in many parts of the mouth, the salivary glands produce liquid to keep the mouth moist and help break down food.
- Vestibule- The vestibule connects the gums to the rest of the mouth. The vestibule is what makes up the walls of the mouth on the insides of your cheeks and contains the salivary glands.
- Hard and Soft Palates- The palates are both located at the top of the mouth. The hard palate is the bone structure that keeps the mouth together and the soft palate is the membranes and tissue that lies below it, in between your teeth and throat.
Contact Us For Oral Health Care Services
We at Hendersonville Family Dental are passionate about helping our customers achieve their most bright smiles and healthiest mouths. We offer a variety of oral health care services that are aimed to help our customs feel healthy, beautiful, and happy. Our talented and experienced dentists and hygienists will do all that they can to ensure that you and your family feel comfortable and taken care of. For more information about oral health care or to schedule an appointment with our office, feel free to reach out to us today.
