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What You Need To Know About™ Oral Cancer
    Posted: 12/23/2009
The Mouth and Throat

The pictures below show the many parts of your mouth and throat:

  • Lips
  • Gums and teeth
  • Tongue
  • Lining of your cheeks
  • Salivary glands (glands that make saliva)
  • Floor of your mouth (area under the tongue)
This picture shows the area under the tongue.

This picture shows the parts of your mouth, including the area under the tongue.

This picture shows the parts of the mouth and throat.

This picture shows the parts of your mouth and throat.



Glossary Terms

hard palate (PAL-et)
The front, bony part of the roof of the mouth.
saliva (suh-LIE-vuh)
The watery fluid in the mouth made by the salivary glands. Saliva moistens food to help digestion and it helps protect the mouth against infections.
salivary gland (SA-lih-VAYR-ee gland)
A gland in the mouth that produces saliva.
soft palate (PAL-et)
The back, muscular (not bony) part of the roof of the mouth.
tonsil
One of two small masses of lymphoid tissue on either side of the throat.
uvula
The soft flap of tissue that hangs down at the back of the mouth (at the edge of the soft palate). Also called palatine uvula.