Preclinical Paediatrics · MU Sofia

22. Topographic characteristics of the oral mucosa, structure of the gingiva and specialized mucosa.

Explains the oral mucosa as a stratified squamous lining and sets out its three types: lining, masticatory and specialised. Covers the structure of lining mucosa at the lips, palate, cheeks and floor of mouth, the vermilion border, and the masticatory mucosa of gingiva and hard palate. Then describes gingival anatomy, including the free and attached gingiva, the mucogingival junction, junctional and sulcus epithelium, and the col, followed by the papillae of the tongue and lingual tonsils.

Inside: 2 sections · 3 labelled pictures · 16 flashcards · 7 min

Topic 22 of 40 in the MU Sofia syllabus for Preclinical Paediatrics (Dental Medicine, Year 3). The free AceMed note covers it in 2 sections, about 1,081 words (7 min of reading), with 16 flashcards.

In this note

  1. TOPOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF ORAL MUCOSA, STRUCTURE OF GINGIVA AND SPECIALISED MUCOSA
  2. Lingual tonsils:

TOPOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF ORAL MUCOSA, STRUCTURE OF GINGIVA AND SPECIALISED MUCOSA

The oral mucosa is the moist lining of the oral cavity a.k.a. mucosa/ oral mucosa membrane that is continuous with the skin outside the oral cavity but differs from it in its appearance and structure

  • Covers the entire oral cavity
  • Oral mucosa starts from the lips adjacent to the skin- vermilion border
  • Function of oral mucosa: protection, secretion and sensation
  • All of the oral mucosa is made up of thick, stratified squamous epithelium, supported by lamina propria

Oral cavity lined with Stratified squamous epithelium, which is divided into 3 types:

  • Lining Mucosa: covers the floor of the mouth, lips, cheeks, soft palate
  • Masticatory Mucosa: covers the hard palate and alveolar ridges
  • Specialized Mucosa: covers the tongue

All of the oral mucosa is made up of thick stratified squamous epithelium, supported by lamina propria. Epithelium is thick due to it being subject to wear and tear

LINING MUCOSA

Lining Mucosa is soft, pliable, non-keratinised

  • Composed of a thin layer of epithelium and an underlying lamina propria
  • Epithelium composed of basal layer
  • Stratum Basale- cells with high mitotic activity
  • Stratum Spinosum- thicker cells
  • Stratum Superficiale- flattened cells and many containing small oval nuclei
  • Situated on floor of mouth, transitional fold, gingival sulcus, lower surface of the tongue

Types of Lining Mucosa is divided into mucosa of the: lips, soft palate, cheeks, floor of mouth, lower surface of tongue

LIPS

  • Inner oral surface of lined with a moist surface, stratified squamous cells and non-keratinized epithelium
  • Associated with small round seromucous glands of lamina propria
  • Part of minor salivary glands found throughout the oral cavity
  • Beneath the lamina propria is submucosa with fibres of orbicularis oris muscle

VERMILION BORDER

  • Mucosa of lips distinguished by red border known as vermilion border
  • It is the junction between the oral mucosa and skin of lips, becoming modified into keratinized epithelium, different from skin or mucosa
  • Three reasons for vermilion being red:
  • Epithelium is thin
  • Epithelium contains eleidin, which is transparent
  • Blood vessels near the surface of papillary layer, revealing the RBC colour

FLOOR OF MOUTH

  • Non-keratinized mucous membrane covers the floor of mouth and appears attached to lamina propria
  • In floor of mouth are minor salivary glands
  • Right and left are major mucous glands- sublingual glands

SOFT PALATE

  • Lining mucosa of soft palate is highly vascularised and more pink than the mucosa of keratinized epithelium of hard palate
  • Lamina propria contains many small blood vessels

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