We all expect our teeth to feel smooth as we run our tongue across it. While teeth may have slight ridges and grooves, it is a relatively smooth surface. However, sometimes our teeth feel rough which we often describe as furry. It is a fine roughness that may be isolated to some teeth or affect most of the teeth that you >> Read More ...
The environment within the mouth and structure of the teeth are geared to handle a range of chemical, thermal and physical insults during the course of a day. After all, the mouth is one of two main points for a range of external substances to enter the body – the other being the nose. While these areas tend to react >> Read More ...
The taste sensation is one of the many ways that we experience our environment. It is useful for assessing foods and fluids and can bring tremendous pleasure in what we eat and drink. It also plays an important role in compelling us to eat or avoid certain substances that can either nourish us or harm us. We always >> Read More ...
What is oral pigmentation? Oral pigmentation refers to discoloration of the inner lining of the mouth (oral mucosa) from its normally pink hue. This discoloration occurs due to the deposition of different colored materials over the oral mucosa which can be of physiological or pathological in nature. Oral pigmentation may >> Read More ...
What is a periapical abscess? A dental abscess is a broad term used to describe an abscess in the tooth and structures around it. A periapical abscess is an inflammatory reaction with the accumulation of pus at the root of an infected tooth. It can lead to death of the central region of the tooth known as the dental pulp. >> Read More ...
Some disorders of the skin and inner lining of cavities like the mouth seem like harmless abnormalities that do not warrant much medical attention. Apart from moderate discomfort, it does not appear to cause any damage to tissue or affect functioning. Oral leukoplakia is one such condition. However, it needs to be >> Read More ...
What is cheilitis glandularis? Cheilitis glandularis is an abnormal enlargement and protrusion of the lower lip with the loss of the clear demarcation between the lip surface and the surrounding skin. The delicate lining of the inner lip becomes exposed to the environment gradually damaging it and sometimes leading to >> Read More ...
Most of us will experience a sore throat several times in life. It tends to come with the flu or a cold and often goes away in a few days without need for medication. In most of these cases we give little thought to what is happening in the throat. Located within the throat are small clumps of lymphoid tissue, a part of >> Read More ...
A salty taste is one of the primary tastes in the mouth, along with sweet, sour, bitter and a savory taste known as umami. The various tastes a person experiences in life is a combination of these primary tastes. Although food and drink is the major trigger of the taste sensations, temperature, texture and other local >> Read More ...
Normal Mucus in the Mouth The mouth is moisturized and lubricated mainly by the secretions of the major salivary glands although the minor salivary glands and mucus producing cells in the lining of the inside of the mouth also contribute towards it. Saliva is a combination of a mucus and serous secretion. Mucus is thicker >> Read More ...
