L42: Oral Environment 1 Flashcards
(30 cards)
What are the functions of oral fluids?
Protective:
- Cleansing
- Mucosal protection
- Buffering
- Remineralisation
- Antimicrobial
Digestive:
- Taste
- Digestive enzymes
- Lubrication of bolus
What is xerostomia and what is a patient with xerostamia prone to?
- Dry mouth;
- Oral disease, in particular caries.
What type of gland are salivary glands?
Exocrine
What type of secretions to salivary glands produce?
Serous and/or mucous secretions
What are the three major (pairs) of salivary glands?
- Parotid;
- Submandibular;
- Sublingual.
Where are minor salivary glands localised to?
- Buccal (cheek);
- Labial (lips);
- Lingual (tongue);
- Palatal (palates).
In the structure of a salivary gland, where does the gland open (and secrete) into the duct?
Acinus
In the structure of a salivary gland, where is saliva modified?
Striated duct
With H&E staining, how does a mucous acinus appear under the microscope?
White and bubbly appearance, due to the presence of proteins, with nuclei on the outskirts
With H&E staining, how does a serous acinus appear under the microscope?
Whole structure stains, pink
With H&E staining, how does a striated duct appear under the microscope?
White lumen, surrounded by pink cells with purple nuclei
What type of secretions do the parotid glands produce?
Serous
What type of secretions do the submandibular glands produce?
Mixed
What type of secretions do the sublingual glands produce?
Mucous
What type of secretions do minor salivary glands produce?
Mucous, lingual produce serous too
How does the production of gingival crevicular fluid change with gingivitis?
Increases, probably with inflammatory exudate
What is the average daily flow of saliva?
620mL
When is salivary flow rate the highest?
During eating
When is salivary flow rate the lowest?
During sleep
What is the most abundant buffer at high salivary flow rates?
Bicarbonate
During sleep, what are the most active salivary glands?
Submandibular (no parotid secretions)
During rest, what are the most active salivary glands?
Submandibular (sublingual least)
During eating, what are the most active salivary glands?
Parotid (sublingual least)
What are the major components of saliva?
Organic:
- Water, 99.5%;
- Ions, 0.2%
Inorganic:
- Proteins (0.3%)
- Carbohydrates (can be found in diabetics)
