Article
Article
Mouth
Article By:
Parsons, Thomas S. Ramsay Wright Zoological Laboratories, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Last reviewed:June 2021
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.436900
The oral or buccal cavity and its related structures. The mouth (see illustration) is a key anatomical structure as it is the orifice through which food and air enter the body of most animals. Also termed the oral or buccal cavity, the mouth forms in the embryo from an in-pocketing of the skin—namely, the stomodeum; thus, it is lined by ectoderm and is not, properly speaking, part of the digestive tract. Functionally, however, the mouth forms the first portion of both the digestive and respiratory systems. In particular, various special structures are found in, or associated with, the mouths of most vertebrates. In terms of disease, the mouth is subject to numerous pathologies potentially affecting the lips, tongue, teeth, gums, and related structures. See also: Animal; Digestive system; Mouth disorders; Respiratory system; Vertebrata
The content above is only an excerpt.
About AccessScience
AccessScience provides the most accurate and trustworthy scientific information available.
Recognized as an award-winning gateway to scientific knowledge, AccessScience is an amazing online resource that contains high-quality reference material written specifically for students. Contributors include more than 10,000 highly qualified scientists and 46 Nobel Prize winners.
MORE THAN 8700 articles covering all major scientific disciplines and encompassing the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology and McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science & Technology
115,000-PLUS definitions from the McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms
3000 biographies of notable scientific figures
MORE THAN 19,000 downloadable images and animations illustrating key topics
ENGAGING VIDEOS highlighting the life and work of award-winning scientists
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY and additional readings to guide students to deeper understanding and research
LINKS TO CITABLE LITERATURE help students expand their knowledge using primary sources of information
