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Mouth

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	Mouth
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	Topics Mouth Topic Home The mouth (or oral cavity) is the first portion of the alimentary canal that receives food and begins digestion by mechanically breaking up the solid food particles into smaller pieces and mixing them with salivaSaliva Saliva, informally known as *spit, is the moist, clear, and usually somewhat frothy substance produced in the mouth... . In humans Mouth cavity The first space of the mouth is the mouth cavity, bounded laterally and in front by the alveolar arches (containing the teeth), and posteriorily by the isthmus of the faucesIsthmus of the fauces The isthmus of the fauces* is the limit between the mouth cavity proper and the pharynx, marked by a constricted aperture.... . The oral cavity is also known as the mouth which it swallows food and drinks and goes down to the person's stomach. Function The mouth plays an important role in speech (it is part of the vocal apparatusVocal apparatus Vocal apparatus is a term used in phonetics to designate all parts of human anatomy that can be used to produce speech.... ), facial expressionFacial expression A facial expression results from one or more motions or positions of the muscles of the face.... , kissKiss A kiss is the touching of the lips to some other thing, usually another person.... ing, eatingEating Overview In general terms, eating is the process of consuming something edible, i.e.... , drinkDrink The word drink is primarily a verb, meaning to ingest liquids.... ing (especially with a straw), breathBreath Breathing transports oxygen into the body and carbon dioxide out of the body.... ing. InfantInfant Infant is a formal term for the word baby, the youngest category of a child.... s are born with a sucking reflex, by which they instinctInstinct Instinct is the inherent disposition of a living organism toward a particular behavior.... ively know to suck for nourishment using their lips and jawJaw The jaw is either of the two opposable structures forming, or near the entrance to, the mouth.... . Cultural aspects According to general etiquetteEtiquette Etiquette, also known as decorum, is the code that governs the expectations of social behavior, the conventional norm.... , the mouth is kept closed, especially when chewing. Lips can be adorned with lipstickLipstick Lipstick is a cosmetic product for the lips that is richer in color and texture than lip gloss, primarily used to apply colo... or lip glossLip gloss Lip gloss is a cosmetic product used primarily by teenage girls and women to give the lips shine and subtle color.... , although in most cultures this is typically only practised by females. Piercings have been made popular by the younger generations. Lip, tongue, and the 'Monroe' are piercings seen in many varieties. Piercings of any sort besides two subtle earrings are seen as rebellious to the norm in many western cultures. Development The philtrumPhiltrum The philtrum is the vertical groove in the upper lip, formed where the nasomedial and maxillary processes meet during embryo... is the vertical groove in the upper lip, formed where the nasomedial and maxillaryMaxillary Maxillary is something related to the maxilla bone.... processes meet during embryoEmbryo Summary An embryo is a multicellular diploid eukaryote in its earliest stage of development. ... developmentEmbryogenesis Embryogenesis is the process by which the embryo is formed and develops.... . When these processes fail to fuse fully, a hare lip and/or cleft palate can result. The nasolabial folds are the deep creases of tissue that extend from the nose to the sides of the mouth. One of the first signs of age on the human face is the increase in prominence of the nasolabial folds. In animals Some animal phylaPhylum Phylum is a taxon used in the scientific classification of life.... , including vertebrates, have a complete digestive system, with a mouth at one end and an anus at the other. Which end forms first in ontogenyOntogeny Ontogeny describes the origin and the development of an organism from the fertilized egg to its mature form.... is a criterion used to classify animals into protostomeProtostome Protostomes are a taxon of animals.... and deuterostomeDeuterostome Deuterostomes are a superphylum of animals.... . The first space of the mouth is the mouth cavity, bounded laterally and in front by the alveolar arches (containing the teeth), and posteriorily by the isthmus of the fauces. See also Head and neck anatomyFacts About Head and neck anatomy Head and neck anatomy is a specialized study of the human body quite frequently studied in depth by surgeons, dentist, and d... Mouth breathingMouth breathing Overview Mouth breathing refers to the state of inhaling and exhaling through the mouth.... List of oral health and dental topicsList of oral health and dental topics Good oral health is the absence of disease, disorder, and injury from the mouth, especially from the teeth and gums.... List of basic dentistry topicsList of basic dentistry topics Dentistry is the art and science of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions, diseases, and disorders of the oral ... Additional images External links