Q: What is oral mucosa?
A: Oral mucosa is the name of the soft, red-pink tissue that lines the inside of your mouth. It has two functions: it protects the underlying tissue and it receives and transmits sensory information like heat and cold to the nervous system. There are three types of oral mucosa: lining mucosa, which covers the lips, the inside of the cheeks, the soft palate and the area under the tongue; masticatory mucosa, which lines the gums and the hard palate; and gustatory mucosa, which is on the top of the tongue.
Oral mucosa has two layers of tissues. The top layer is called epithelium, which is found on other parts of the body, like the skin and the lining of the digestive tract. Beneath the epithelium is a supporting layer of connective tissue that contains blood vessels and nerves. Alveolar mucosa covers the part of the jaw in which the teeth sit, and gingival mucosa is the tissue that covers the roots of the teeth.
In a healthy mouth, gingival tissue is tight against the teeth and protects the area beneath from invasion by bacteria. If bacteria and food particles get trapped at the junction of the gingival and the teeth, gum disease can take root. Talk with your dentist about ways to keep the inside of your mouth fresh and healthy.
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