Adult Physical Assessment: Mouth & Throat, Nose & Sinuses

• Lips -Muscular folds that surround the mouth
• lips -Contain sensory receptors and are very sensitive
• lips -assist with eating, expression, and speech
• Teeth -20 deciduous, 32 permanent. Needed for chewing
• Teeth -also have aesthetic value
• DECIDUOUS – primary, milk, temporary or baby teeth
• PERMANENT – 28 if molars did not erupt
• Tongue -Muscle controlled by CN XII – hypoglossal
• Tongue -Needed for chewing, swallowing, and speech
• tongue -has sensory functions related to taste, which are primarily Sensory (taste) CN VII and CN IX (facial & glossopharyngeal)
• Hard Palate -Forms the floor of the nasal cavity
• Soft Palate -Posterior to hard palate
• Soft palate -Elevates during swallowing to prevent food and saliva from entering the nasopharynx.
• Uvula -Fleshy conelike structure in the center of the soft palate.Prevents food from entering nasal passages
• Salivary Glands -Secrete saliva which contains amylase to convert starch to maltose
• 3 major salivary glands (produce saliva) ▪

  1. Parotid gland
  2. Submandibular gland
  3. Sublingual gland
• Saliva -Helps in digestion, Oral health, and without it we can't taste the food we eat
• Cyanosis -Vasoconstriction or hypoxia
• Pallor -Anemia
• Lesions -Infectious or inflammatory disorder
• Cheilitis -inflammation of lips, drying, and cracking, Dehydration, Allergy, lip licking
• Cheilosis -fissures at corners of lips, Deficiency of B vitamins, maceration related to overclosure
• Halitosis -Infections or gastrointestinal problems. Poor oral hygiene
• Chancre -Single, painless ulcer of primary syphilis
• chancre

  
• Angioedema -Allergic response based on client’s allergic stimulus
• angioedema

  
• Herpes simplex -Herpes viral infection
• herpes simplex

  
• Dental caries -also known as tooth decay, is caused by the action of acids on the enamel surface
• Discoloration of teeth - Chemicals or medications
• mottled enamel

  
• Mottled enamel is a condition in which the enamel of the teeth appears a flat, opaque white, may be stained yellow, brown or black, and in addition may have a corroded surface
• Gum hyperplasia / Gingival hyperplasia -can occur as a direct result of inflammation. Often caused by plaque buildup on the teeth from food, bacteria, and poor hygiene practices
• Gum hyperplasia -The inflammation can make the gums tender and red, and it can trigger bleeding
• gum hyperplasia

  
• Gum recession -Poor dental hygiene or vitamin deficiency. Aggressive tooth brushing. Hormonal changes
• gum recession

  
• Pale or gray gingivae -Chronic gingivitis
• Allergic stomatitis -Reddened, inflamed oral mucosa, sometimes accompanied by ulcerations