"saliva also help in keeping the teeth clean by breaking down any lodged food particles. The epiglottis is a flap of elastic cartilage attached to the entrance of the larynx. It is covered with a mucous membrane and there are taste buds on its lingual surface which faces into the mouth. Its laryngeal surface faces into the larynx. The epiglottis functions to guard the entrance of the glottis, the opening between the vocal folds. It is normally pointed upward during breathing with its underside functioning as part of the pharynx, but during swallowing, the epiglottis folds down to a more"
"epiglottis in order to stimulate an airway protective reflex called the laryngeal adductor reflex (LAR). This reflex, which occurs when the tissues of the throat are stimulated, causes the vocal folds to close in order to protect the airway from food going into the lungs. Since the windpipe (trachea) is located so close to the food-pipe (esophagus) this is a critical reflex to be functioning well at all times. Stimulation of this reflex not only results in protection of the airway, it also initiates a swallow. When a swallow is initiated the larynx rises up to two inches, going further"
"a one-way valve near the esophageal flange that enables pulmonary air to pass into the esophagus and pharynx for sound production and prevents content from the food pipe, such as liquids or saliva, from entering the trachea. A voice prosthesis is usually made of medical grade silicone rubber. The valve flap and valve seat may be made out of silicone, fluoroplastic, or may be treated with SilverOxide. The size of a voice prosthesis varies in length, depending on the thickness of the wall between the foodpipe and the windpipe and thereby the length of the TE puncture. The according length"
"Trachea The trachea, colloquially called the windpipe, is a cartilaginous tube that connects the pharynx and larynx to the lungs, allowing the passage of air, and so is present in almost all air-breathing animals with lungs. The trachea extends from the larynx and branches into the two primary bronchi. At the top of the trachea the cricoid cartilage attaches it to the larynx. This is the only complete tracheal ring, the others being incomplete rings of reinforcing cartilage. The trachealis muscle joins the ends of the rings and these are joined vertically by bands of fibrous connective tissue – the"
"trachea and instead directs it to the esophagus, which is behind it. Swallowing with little to no of food can occur even when there is no epiglottis (such as when destroyed by disease). Should food or liquid enter the windpipe due to the epiglottis failing to close properly, the gag reflex is induced to protect the respiratory system. The glossopharyngeal nerve sends fibers to the upper epiglottis that contribute to the afferent limb of the gag reflex. (The gag reflex is variable in people from a limited to a hypersensitive response.) The superior laryngeal branch of the vagus nerve sends"
"Pulmonary aspiration Pulmonary aspiration is the entry of material (such as pharyngeal secretions, food or drink, or stomach contents) from the oropharynx or gastrointestinal tract into the larynx (voice box) and lower respiratory tract (the portions of the respiratory system from the trachea—i.e., windpipe—to the lungs). A person may either inhale the material, or it may be delivered into the tracheobronchial tree during positive pressure ventilation. When pulmonary aspiration occurs during eating and drinking, the aspirated material is often colloquially referred to as ""going down the wrong pipe."" Consequences of pulmonary aspiration range from no injury at all, to chemical"
"Esophagus The esophagus (American English) or oesophagus (British English) (), commonly known as the food pipe or gullet (gut), is an organ in vertebrates through which food passes, aided by peristaltic contractions, from the pharynx to the stomach. The esophagus is a fibromuscular tube, about 25 centimetres long in adults, which travels behind the trachea and heart, passes through the diaphragm and empties into the uppermost region of the stomach. During swallowing, the epiglottis tilts backwards to prevent food from going down the larynx and lungs. The word ""esophagus"" is the Greek word οἰσοφάγος , meaning ""gullet"". The wall of"
"Dewlap A dewlap is a longitudinal flap of skin that hangs beneath the lower jaw or neck of many vertebrates. While the term is usually used in this specific context, it can also be used to include other structures occurring in the same body area with a similar aspect, such as those caused by a double chin or the submandibular vocal sac of a frog. In a more general manner, the term refers to any pendulous mass of skin, such as a fold of loose skin on an elderly person's neck, or the wattle of a bird. Dewlaps can be"
"Respiratory tract In humans, the respiratory tract is the part of the anatomy of the respiratory system involved with the process of respiration. Air is breathed in through the nose or the mouth. In the nasal cavity, a layer of mucous membrane acts as a filter and traps pollutants and other harmful substances found in the air. Next, air moves into the pharynx, a passage that contains the intersection between the esophagus and the larynx. The opening of the larynx has a special flap of cartilage, the epiglottis, that opens to allow air to pass through but closes to prevent"
"Nasopharyngeal airway In medicine, a nasopharyngeal airway, also known as an NPA, nasal trumpet (because of its flared end), or nose hose, is a type of ""airway adjunct"", is a tube that is designed to be inserted into the nasal passageway to secure an open airway. When a patient becomes unconscious, the muscles in the jaw commonly relax and can allow the tongue to slide back and obstruct the airway. This makes airway management necessary, and an NPA is one of the available tools. The purpose of the flared end is to prevent the device from becoming lost inside the"
"called ""ears"" may be attached to the sides of the mouth for tuning purposes, and a horizontal dowel called a ""roller"" or ""beard"" may be affixed at the pipe to ensure prompt pipe speech. When wind is driven into the foot of the pipe, a sheet of wind is focused by the windway across the mouth to strike just above the edge of the upper lip. This creates a Bernoulli effect, or ""siphon effect"", causing a low pressure area to be created just below the mouth. When this low pressure area reaches a critical stage, it pulls the airstream past"
"set off an allergic reaction, causing swelling of the bronchial tubes; as a result, the air passage will swell up, or close up completely. Respiratory tract In humans, the respiratory tract is the part of the anatomy of the respiratory system involved with the process of respiration. Air is breathed in through the nose or the mouth. In the nasal cavity, a layer of mucous membrane acts as a filter and traps pollutants and other harmful substances found in the air. Next, air moves into the pharynx, a passage that contains the intersection between the esophagus and the larynx. The"
"upper portions of the leaf towards the opening of the pitcher tube. The opening of the pitcher tube is retroflexed into a 'nectar roll' or peristome, whose surface is studded with nectar-secreting glands. Prey entering the tube find that their footing is made extremely uncertain by the smooth, waxy secretions found on the surfaces of the upper portion of the tube. Insects losing their footing on this surface plummet to the bottom of the tube, where a combination of digestive fluid, wetting agents and inward-pointing hairs prevent their escape. Some large insects (such as wasps) have been reported to escape"
"Pharynx The pharynx (plural: pharynges) is the part of the throat behind the mouth and nasal cavity and above the esophagus and larynx, or the tubes going down to the stomach and the lungs. It is found in vertebrates and invertebrates, though its structure varies across species. In humans, the pharynx is part of the digestive system and the conducting zone of the respiratory system. (The conducting zone—which also includes the nostrils of the nose, the larynx, trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles—filters, warms and moistens air and conducts it into the lungs.) The pharynx makes up the part of the throat"
"bivalves utilize their inhalant siphon like the hose of a vacuum cleaner, and actively suck up food particles from the marine substrate. Most other bivalves ingest microscopic phytoplankton as food from the general water supply, which enters via the inhalant siphon and reaches the mouth after passing over the gill. Please also see pseudofeces. The hyponome or siphon is the organ used by cephalopods to expel water, a function that produces a locomotive force. The hyponome developed from the foot of the molluscan ancestor. Water enters the mantle cavity around the sides of the funnel, and subsequent contraction of the"
"General Pharynx The pharynx (plural: pharynges) is the part of the throat behind the mouth and nasal cavity and above the esophagus and larynx, or the tubes going down to the stomach and the lungs. It is found in vertebrates and invertebrates, though its structure varies across species. In humans, the pharynx is part of the digestive system and the conducting zone of the respiratory system. (The conducting zone—which also includes the nostrils of the nose, the larynx, trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles—filters, warms and moistens air and conducts it into the lungs.) The pharynx makes up the part of the"
"prey behind the windpipe so that it is not torn, but compressed between premolars of upper and lower jaws. It can be compared to the bit of a horse's bridal in placement. With the mouth completely enclosing the windpipe, it is, if the predator does not relax its grip, very difficult to break free from. Occasionally, and as suggested for the killing method of machairodonts, the canines actually pierce the windpipe and the surrounding blood vessels so that the tear in arteries and adjacent windpipe lead to a flow of blood into the windpipe and down into the lungs where"
"2/3 the length of the lip it can be closed by an Abbe flap. The flap was developed by the American plastic surgeon Robert Abbe. It is based on a main artery of the orbicularis oris, the labial artery. A portion of the uninvolved lip (either upper or lower) is rotated across the mouth and into the defect of the involved lip while maintaining the blood supply from the labial artery. After 10–14 days, the blood supply of the flap has been established to the point where the artery can be divided. The Abbe flap has an excellent cosmetic result"
"from being above the glottis (""epi-"" + ""glottis""). There are taste buds on the epiglottis. The epiglottis is shaped somewhat like a leaf of purslane, with the stem attached to the internal surface of the thyroid cartilage. The epiglottis is one of nine cartilaginous structures that make up the larynx (voice box). During breathing, it lies completely within the larynx. During swallowing, it serves as part of the anterior of the pharynx. The body of the epiglottis consists of elastic cartilage. The epiglottis has two surfaces, a forward-facing surface facing the tongue, and a surface facing the larynx. The entire"
"during the burp. This may also be accompanied by excessive, deep burping. Wet burping can also take place if someone consumes food too quickly, resulting in air being trapped throughout the stomach's chyme. When the air is released, it carries small amounts of chyme with it. According to Charles Bourland, a consultant for the NASA Food Technology Commercial Space Center, if one burps in outer space, it is usually wet because the liquid and gas do not separate in the stomach like they do on Earth. Wet burp A wet burp is a slang term for a burp where small"
"can be seen between the lips. The fold is sealed against the tongue when in use. Air travels over the tongue, through the top hole, past the top of the bottom hole, and out of the mouth between the lips. The edge of the hole acts as a fipple. The lower hole opens onto an otherwise closed pocket of air, in the space between the whistle and the bottom of the mouth. This space acts as a sound box; the sound resonates in it. Blowing over the lip of a bottle or jug also makes resonances by blowing across an"
"Vomer flap surgery Vomer flap surgery was used prior to 1975 as a surgical treatment for children with cleft palate. In this procedure, the vomer bone was used to reconstruct the palate and cover the cleft. The vomer is a triangle shaped bone that forms the inferior and posterior portion of the nasal septum (www.emedicine.com/plastic/topic519.htm). A vomer flap is a type of palatoplasty surgery that uses the mucoperiosteal tissue of the vomer to cover a unilateral or bilateral cleft palate. This procedure can be used to reconstruct the nasal or oral surfaces by either raising the vomer or creating a"
"Pharyngeal flap surgery Pharyngeal flap surgery is a procedure to correct the airflow during speech. The procedure is common among people with cleft palate and some types of dysarthria. Posterior pharyngeal flap surgery is the most commonly used operation to restore velopharyngeal competence (i.e., develop a functional seal between the nasal cavity and the oral cavity), and therefore correct hypernasality and nasal air escape (Ysunza ""et al."", 2002). Posterior pharyngeal flaps can be based superiorly or inferiorly and the velum can be split transversely or along the midline (Lideman-Boshki ""et al."", 2005). Centrally positioned, superior based flaps continue to be"
"Wet burp A wet burp is a slang term for a burp where small amounts of liquid are regurgitated. It is similar to vomiting—one who experiences a wet burp often has an acidic/burning sensation in the mouth, which can be displeasurable. In addition to the cause of this typically being related to acid reflux disease, it also occurs if an individual consumes too much food for the stomach to handle. This results in the partially digested contents of the stomach to back up into the esophageal canal, which may cause small amounts of the bile and food to come up"
"main mantle cavity from a smaller chamber through which the water is exhaled. Muscles draw water in through the inhalant siphon which is modified into a cowl-shaped organ, sucking in small crustaceans and worms at the same time. The siphon can be retracted quickly and inverted, bringing the prey within reach of the mouth. The gut is modified so that large food particles can be digested. The unusual genus, ""Entovalva"", is endosymbiotic, being found only in the oesophagus of sea cucumbers. It has mantle folds that completely surround its small valves. When the sea cucumber sucks in sediment, the bivalve"
"years. The uppermost part of the leaf is flared into a lid (the operculum), which prevents excess rain from entering the pitcher and diluting the digestive secretions within. The upper regions of the pitcher are covered in short, stiff, downwards-pointing hairs, which serve to guide insects alighting on the upper portions of the leaf towards the opening of the pitcher tube. The opening of the pitcher tube is retroflexed into a 'nectar roll' or peristome, whose surface is studded with nectar-secreting glands. Prey entering the tube find that their footing is made extremely uncertain by the smooth, waxy secretions found"
"flared into a lid (the operculum), which prevents excess rain from entering the pitcher and diluting the digestive secretions within. The upper regions of the pitcher are covered in short, stiff, downwards-pointing hairs, which serve to guide insects alighting on the upper portions of the leaf towards the opening of the pitcher tube. The opening of the pitcher tube is retroflexed into a 'nectar roll' or peristome, whose surface is studded with nectar-secreting glands. Prey entering the tube find that their footing is made extremely uncertain by the smooth, waxy secretions found on the surfaces of the upper portion of"
"pharynx as a bolus of food is pushed to the back of the mouth by the tongue, or by stimulation of the palate (palatal reflex). Swallowing is a complex mechanism using both skeletal muscle (tongue) and smooth muscles of the pharynx and esophagus. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) coordinates this process in the pharyngeal and esophageal phases. Prior to the following stages of the oral phase, the mandible depresses and the lips abduct to allow food or liquid to enter the oral cavity. Upon entering the oral cavity, the mandible elevates and the lips adduct to assist in oral containment"
"only distinction being the form and size of the air-chamber, either the bladder or the wind-cap, in which the reed was set in vibration. The player blows air into the bladder through the insufflation tube, or through the raised, slit-shaped opening of the wind cap, placed against the player's lips. This earlier Italian form of bladder pipe is found illustrated at the end of the 15th century in the Book of Hours, known as the ""Sforza Book"". An allusion to the bladder pipe occurs in an old English ballad: This excerpt suggests the early English bladder pipe retained a distinct"
"that the mouth can store. The mandible is connected to the skull by dense fibers and cartilage (fibrocartilage), allowing the jaw to swing open at almost a 90° angle. The mandibular symphysis is also fibrocartilaginous, allowing the jaw to bend which lets in more water. To prevent stretching the mouth too far, rorquals have a sensory organ located in the middle of the jaw to regulate these functions. Baleen whales have two flippers on the front, near the head. Like all mammals, baleen whales breathe air and must surface periodically to do so. Their nostrils, or blowholes, are situated at"
"and possesses buccal cirri, which assist in sifting out larger food particles before they enter the buccal cavity. Epithelial cilia lining the mouth and pharynx form a specialized ""wheel organ"" situated at the dorsal and posterior end of the cavity. The motion of the cilia resembles the motion of a turning wheel, hence the organ's name, and transports the captured food particles. Behind the wheel organ is the velum, which acts as an internal filter before food enters the pharynx. The food particles adhere to secreted mucus on the pharyngeal bars before being brought to the epibranchial groove on the"
"flap is a random flap that is emplaced with the proximal (near) portion resting upon the lateral wall of the nose, and the distal (far) portion resting upon the cheek, which contains the main angular artery, and so is perfused with retrograde arterial flow. The pedicle of the nasolabial flap rests upon the lateral nasal wall, and is transposed a maximum of 60 degrees, in order to avoid the ""bridge effect"" of a flap emplaced across the nasofacial angle. The paramedian forehead flap is the premier autologous skin graft for the reconstruction of a nose, by replacing any of the"
"annular ligaments of trachea. The epiglottis closes the opening to the larynx during swallowing. The trachea develops in the second month of development. It is lined with an epithelium that has goblet cells which produce protective mucins (see ""Respiratory epithelium""). An inflammatory condition, also involving the larynx and bronchi, called croup can result in a barking cough. A tracheotomy is often performed for ventilation in surgical operations where needed. Intubation is also carried out for the same reason by the inserting of a tube into the trachea. From 2008, operations have experimentally transplanted a windpipe grown by stem cells, and"