Functions-Swallowing

Question 1

What are the two functions of swallowing?

Answer 1

Protection - preventing food entering the lower airway.

Feeding- To transport food from the lower pharynx and oesophagus to the stomach

Question 2

How can swallowing be dangerous?

Answer 2

Because the airway crosses the food way

Question 3

What are the 3 stages of swallowing?

Answer 3

• propulsion of food- pushing food forwards towards foodway.
• Preventing reflux
• Protecting the airway

Question 4

How does the body prevent reflux?

Answer 4

• Upper oesophageal sphincter- preventing food going from the oesophagus to the pharynx
• Lower oesophageal sphincter- preventing food going from the stomach to the oesophagus.
• Elevating the soft palate.
• Top of the tongue contacting the posterior pharyngeal wall.
• Side of the tongue contacting the pillars of the fauces .

Question 5

What is the dental relevance of reflux?

Answer 5

it is an intrinsic cause of erosion

Question 6

What is this?

Answer 6

Attrition -tooth wear due to contact between occluding teeth

E.G. bruxism.

Question 7

What is this?

Answer 7

Abrasion- tooth wear due to a non dental object e.g a toothbrush.

Alot of the time it is combined with erosion.

The acid weakens the outer mineralised tissue making it more suceptible to damage.

Question 8

What is this?

Answer 8

Abfraction-A wedge shaped notch caused by flexure and material fatigue at the cervical region.

It is due to high stress occlusal forces.

This commonly occurs in premoalars.

Question 9

How is the airway protected when you swallow?

Answer 9

• Adduction of the vocal flaps.
• Closing of the laryngeal inlet by the epiglottis and aryepiglotic muscles.
• Stopping breathing. (apnoea)
• Upward and forward movement of the larynx

Question 10

What is dysphasia?

Answer 10

A language disorder due to damage of parts of the brain.

Question 11

What is dysphagia?

Answer 11

Difficulty swallowing.

Question 12

What is odynophagia?

Answer 12

Pain when swallowing

Question 13

What is Dysarthria?

Answer 13

Difficulty speaking due to problems with the muscles involved in speech.

Question 14

What are some oral causes of language and speech defects.

Answer 14

• Mallocclusion
• Cleft lip and palate
• Loss of teeth & dentures.
• Tori
• tongue related
• Dry mouth.

Question 15

What is tongue thrust?

Answer 15

When you push your tongue forward when you are swallowing.

Question 16

What is cleft lip and palate ?

Answer 16

When the oral and nasal cavities are not seperated resulting in speech with a nasal quality

Question 17

What is this?

Answer 17

Partial atrophy- the tongue is not completed.

Question 18

Why does dry mouth affect speech?

Answer 18

As the inadequate saliva production makes pronounciation difficult.

Question 19

What is a tori?

Answer 19

A bony outgrowth that can affect denture design.

Question 20

What causes problems pronoucing S?

Answer 20

The thickness of the denture.

Question 21

What causes problems pronoucing F and V?

Answer 21

The loss of maxillary teeth and then wrong occlusal planes on restoration.

Question 22

How is the s sound produced.

Answer 22

By the tongue producing a narrow channel in the midline of the palate.

Question 23

How are F and V sounds produced?

Answer 23

The touching of the maxillary incisors with the lower lip

Question 24

Label this diagram of the lips?

Answer 24

1. Philtrum
2. Cupids bow
3. vermillion border
4. Commisure
5. Vermillion zone