The sense of taste can detect four primary tastes – sour, sweet, bitter and salty. A fifth taste sensation known as unami can be associated with savory tastes. Most of the time, the taste sensations are triggered by different foods and drinks, however, in some cases a taste may be detectable despite not eating or >> 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 ...
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 ...
Pain in the mouth is common and can affect the entire mouth in which case it is referred to as stomatodynia or only certain parts like the tongue, cheeks or palate. While the causes of pain in certain parts of the mouth may be overlap, sometimes there are specific causes that only affect a single area. A sore palate refers >> Read More ...
Taste is made possible by the taste buds although smell does play a part in perceiving tastes. The different types of taste receptors or taste buds to detect different tastes. The four primary tastes were considered as sour, salty, sweet and bitter but now umami taste is also considered as one of the primary tastes. The >> Read More ...
The mouth, including the tongue, palate, inner cheek and lips, can become irritated and inflamed for various reasons. The mouth has to contend with exposure to various substances on a daily basis and this is not only food and beverages. It is also used for breathing and speech. It is therefore not uncommon for irritation >> Read More ...
Healthy gums are pink and firm that surround the root of the tooth. As with any part of the body, gum tissue may become irritated and inflamed. This can cause a host of symptoms, including pain, bleeding and swelling of the gums. Sometimes this may be linked to serious conditions which can result in extensive damage of the >> Read More ...
Bad breath in the morning is not unusual and can vary from a stale odor to a slightly offensive breath. However in some cases the odor may be so offensive that the breath may resemble the smell of feces, flatus, fish or even rotting or decaying organic matter (similar to a garbage can or dead animal). Despite good oral >> Read More ...
Salivary glands are responsible for producing and secreting saliva. This fluid is responsible for moisturizing the mouth cavity, lubricating chewed food as it passed down the throat and it may also contain digestive enzymes to help chemically breakdown food. The parotid gland is the largest salivary gland, located on >> Read More ...
