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Floor of the mouth with lingual frenum and sublingual fold. The mouth consists of two regions: the vestibule and the oral cavity proper. The vestibule is the area between the teeth, lips and cheeks. [3] The oral cavity is bounded at the sides and in front by the alveolar process (containing the teeth) and at the back by the isthmus of the fauces.
The tongue is attached to the floor of the oral cavity by the frenulum. Sketch of an open mouth showing the frenulum and surrounding structures. Superficial veins run through the base of the frenulum known as varicosities. Their presence is normal, becoming more and more prominent as one ages. [5]
The tongue is a muscular organ in the mouth of a typical tetrapod. It manipulates food for chewing and swallowing as part of the digestive process , and is the primary organ of taste. The tongue's upper surface (dorsum) is covered by taste buds housed in numerous lingual papillae .
The fimbriated fold of tongue, also plica fimbriata, is a slight fold of the mucous membrane on the underside of the tongue which runs laterally on either side of the frenulum. The free edge of the fimbriated fold occasionally exhibits a series of fringe-like processes. (Fimbria is Latin for fringe).
Lingual papillae, particularly filiform papillae, are thought to increase the surface area of the tongue and to increase the area of contact and friction between the tongue and food. [2] This may increase the tongue's ability to manipulate a bolus of food, and also to position food between the teeth during mastication (chewing) and swallowing.
Anatomy of the human mouth, including the frenulum of the tongue. A frenulum / ˈ f r ɛ n j ʊ l əm / or frenum / ˈ f r iː n əm / (pl.: frenula or frena, from the Latin frēnulum, "little bridle", the diminutive of frēnum [1]) is a small fold of tissue that secures the motion of a mobile organ in the body.
A speech sound made with the middle part of the tongue (dorsum) touching the soft palate is known as a velar consonant. It is possible for the soft palate to retract and elevate during speech to separate the oral cavity (mouth) from the nasal cavity in order to produce the oral speech sounds.
The epiglottic valleculae are paired spaces between the root of the tongue and anterior surface of the epiglottis. Each vallecula is bordered medially by the median glossoepiglottic fold and laterally by the lateral glossoepiglottic fold. The valleculae can collect saliva to prevent initiation of the swallowing reflex.