Mouth, Nose, Throat, and Sinuses

• Mouth and throat


  • First part of the digestive system
  • Responsible for receiving food (ingestion), tasting, preparing food for digestion, and aiding in speech
• Nose and paranasal sinuses

  • First part of the respiratory system
  • Responsible for receiving, filtering, warming and moistening air to be transported to the lungs
  • Receptors of cranial nerve I (olfactory) are located in the nose and related to the sense of smell
• Mouth (oral cavity)


  • Formed by the lips, cheeks, hard and soft palates, uvula, and the tongue and its muscles
  • Beginning of the digestive tract
  • Serves as an airway for the respiratory tract
• Lips


  Upper and lower lips form the entrance to the mouth, serving as a protective gateway to the digestive and respiratory tracts
• Palate


  Roof of the oral cavity, formed by the anterior hard palate and the posterior soft palate
• Uvula


  Extension of the soft palate, hanging in the posterior midline of the oropharynx
• Cheeks


  Form the lateral walls of the mouth
• Tongue and its muscles


  Form the floor of the mouth
• Mandible (jaw bone)


  Provides the structural support for the floor of the mouth
• Structures contained within the mouth

  • Tongue
  • Teeth
  • Gums
  • Openings of the salivary glands (parotid, submandibular, and sublingual)
• Structures of the mouth

  • Lips
  • Cheek
  • Tongue
  • Gums
  • Teeth
• Tongue functions


  1. Moving food

  2. Swallowing

  3. Speaking
• Gums


  Mucous membrane that normally holds 32 permanent teeth in the adult
• Tooth


  • Visible, white enameled part
  • Portion embedded in the gums (root)
• Taste buds


  Scattered over the tongue's surface, carry sensory impulses to the brain
• Saliva


  • Watery, mucous fluid containing salts, mucus and salivary amylase
  • Helps break down food and lubricates it
  • Aids digestion of carbohydrates
• Salivary glands

  • Parotid
  • Submandibular
  • Sublingual
• Nose


  • Nasal cavity
  • Nasal septum
  • Turbinates
  • External nares
• Throat (pharynx)


  • Muscular passage for food and air
  • Nasopharynx
  • Oropharynx
  • Laryngopharynx
• Throat structures


  • Soft palate
  • Anterior and posterior pillars
  • Uvula
  • Palatine tonsils
  • Lingual tonsils
  • Pharyngeal tonsils
• Tonsils are masses of lymphoid tissue that help protect against infection
• Conditions associated with changes in smell and taste

  • Chronic sinusitis
  • Hypertension
  • Hematologic malignancy
  • Coagulopathy
  • Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia
  • Older age
  • Colder weather
• A loss of smell and taste may be an indication that the person is a carrier of COVID-19 or another virus before other symptoms appear
• Ability to smell and taste

  • Decreases with age
  • Can also decrease due to medications and neurodegenerative conditions
• Thin, watery, clear nasal drainage


  Can indicate a chronic allergy or a cerebrospinal fluid leak in a client with a past head injury
• Mucous drainage, especially yellow


  Typical of a cold, rhinitis, or a sinus infection
• The overwhelming majority of upper respiratory illnesses are viral.
• Inability to breathe through both nostrils

  May indicate sinus congestion, obstruction, or a deviated septum
• Nasal congestion can interfere with daily activities or a restful sleep.
• Decrease in the ability to smell

  • May occur with lesions of the optic nerve or facial nerve; head injuries; upper respiratory tract infections; conditions affecting the nasal passages, including nasal polyps and sinusitis; and disorders associated with aging or neurologic illnesses, such as Parkinson disease or Alzheimer disease
• Other causes of changes in perception of taste and smell

  • Aging
  • Hormonal disturbances (including menopause)
  • Dental problems
  • Exposure to certain chemicals such as pesticides and solvents
  • Many medications (especially some antibiotics and antihistamines)
  • Radiation treatment for head and neck cancers
  • Zinc deficiency
• Olfactory dysfunction has been linked to mortality in older adults
• Painful, recurrent ulcers in the mouth are seen with aphthous stomatitis (canker sores) and herpes simplex (cold sores)
• Mouth or tongue sores that do not heal; red or white patches that persist; a lump or thickening; or rough, crusty, or eroded areas are warning signs of cancer and need to be referred for further evaluation
• Red, swollen gums that bleed easily


  Occur in early gum disease (gingivitis)
• Recession of the gums accompanied by tooth loss


  Occur in more advanced gum disease (periodontitis)
• Periodontal disease is highly correlated with cardiovascular disease
• Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) or odynophagia (painful swallowing)


  May be seen with tumors of the pharynx, esophagus, or surrounding structures, disorders
• Dysphagia increases the risk for aspiration, and clients with dysphagia may require consultation with a speech therapist
• Difficulty chewing or moving the tongue or jaws

  May be a late sign of oral cancer