Oral cavity Health Dictionary

Relating to the mouth. The area with the mouth opening.... oral

A contraceptive taken by mouth (see CONTRACEPTION). It comprises one or more synthetic female hormones, usually an oestrogen (see OESTROGENS), which blocks normal OVULATION, and a progestogen which in?uences the PITUITARY GLAND and thus blocks normal control of the woman’s menstrual cycle (see MENSTRUATION). Progestogens also make the uterus less congenial for the fertilisation of an ovum by the sperm.... oral contraceptive

A branch of surgery that treats deformities, injuries or diseases of the TEETH and JAW, as well as other areas of the face and mouth. Surgeons doing this work are usually quali?ed dentists who have done further training in oral and maxillofacial surgery.... oral surgery

The normally restricted space between the parietal and the visceral PLEURA, which slide over one another as the individual breathes in and out. If gas or ?uid are introduced as a result of injury or infection, the pleural surfaces are separated and the pleural space increases in volume. This usually causes breathing diffculties.... pleural cavity

See rehydration therapy.... oral rehydration therapy

The digestive system of the cnidarian, consisting of the stomach and its connecting canals which perform a similar task to vascular system of higher orders.... gastrovascular cavity

Perform surgery to the mouth and face. This not only includes removal of buried teeth but also treatment for fractured facial bones, removal of cancers and the repair of missing tissue, and the cosmetic restoration of facial anomalies such as CLEFT PALATE or large or small jaws.... oral and maxillo-facial surgeons

The optimal state of the mouth and normal functioning of the organs of the mouth without evidence of disease.... oral health

This is the essential initial treatment for DIARRHOEA, and is particularly valuable for dehydrated children in developing countries ill with diseases such as CHOLERA. A litre of water containing one teaspoonful of salt and eight of sugar, taken by mouth, is readily absorbed. It replaces salts and water lost because of the diarrhoea and usually no other treatment is required.

In developed countries ORT is useful in treating gastroenteritis. There are a number of proprietary preparations, often dispensed as ?avoured sachets, including Dioralyte® and Rehydrate®.... oral rehydration therapy (ort)

Giving a remedy by mouth. Such a route leads to its passage through the mucous membrane lining the intestines and from there into the bloodstream. ... oral administration

A hole in a tooth, commonly caused by dental caries (see caries, dental).... cavity, dental

See oral hygiene.... hygiene, oral

A group of antidiabetic drugs that are used to lower blood glucose.

Too high a dose may provoke the onset of hypoglycaemia.... hypoglycaemics, oral

A group of oral drug preparations containing one or more synthetic female sex hormones, taken by women in a monthly cycle to prevent pregnancy. “The pill” commonly refers to the combined or the phased pill, which both contain an oestrogen drug and a progestogen drug, and the minipill, which contains only a progestogen. Oestrogen pills include ethinylestradiol; progestogens include levonorgestrel and norethisterone. When used correctly, the number of pregnancies among women using oral contraceptives for one year is less than 1 per cent. Actual failure rates may be 4 times higher, particularly for the minipill, which has to be taken at precisely the same time each day.

Combined and phased pills increase oestrogen and progesterone levels. This interferes with the production of two hormones, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which in turn prevents ovulation. The minipill works mainly by making the mucus lining of the cervix too thick to be penetrated by sperm.

Oestrogen-containing pills offer protection against uterine and ovarian cancer, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, and irondeficiency anaemia. They also tend to make menstrual periods regular, lighter, and relatively pain-free. Possible side effects include nausea, weight gain, depression, swollen breasts, reduced sex drive, increased appetite, leg and abdominal cramps, headaches, and dizziness. More seriously, there is a risk of thrombosis causing a stroke or a pulmonary embolism. These pills may also aggravate heart disease or cause hypertension, gallstones, jaundice, and, very rarely, liver cancer. All oral contraceptives can cause bleeding between periods, especially the minipill. Other possible adverse effects of the minipill include irregular periods, ectopic pregnancy, and ovarian cysts. There may be a slightly increased long-term risk of breast cancer for women taking the combined pill.

Oestrogen-based pills should generally be avoided in women with hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, liver disease, migraine, otosclerosis, or who are at increased risk of a thrombosis. They are not usually prescribed to a woman with a personal or family history of heart or circulatory disorders, or who suffers from unexplained vaginal bleeding. The minipill or a lowoestrogen pill may be used by women who should avoid oestrogens. Combined or phased pills may interfere with milk production and should not be taken during breast-feeding. Certain drugs may impair the effectiveness of oral contraceptives. (See also contraception.) ... oral contraceptives

Measures to keep the mouth and teeth clean and reduce the risk of tooth decay (see caries, dental), gingivitis and other gum disorders, and halitosis. Oral hygiene includes regular, thorough toothbrushing and flossing (see floss, dental) to remove plaque. Disclosing agents help to reveal build-up of plaque. Dentures are brushed on all surfaces and soaked in cleansing solution.

Professional treatment to remove calculus and stubborn plaque by scaling and polishing is usually carried out by a dentist or dental hygienist during a routine check-up.

In periodontal disease, treatment may be needed more often.... oral hygiene

See rehydration therapy.... rehydration, oral

the fluid-filled cavity between the embryo and the *amnion. It forms initially within the inner cell mass of the *blastocyst and later expands over the back of the embryo, eventually enclosing it completely. See also amniotic fluid.... amniotic cavity

the cavity of the mouth, which contains the tongue and teeth and leads to the pharynx. Here food is tasted, chewed, and mixed with saliva, which begins the process of digestion.... buccal cavity

n. 1. (in anatomy) a hollow enclosed area; for example, the abdominal cavity or the buccal cavity (mouth). 2. (in dentistry) a. the hole in a tooth caused by *caries or abrasion. b. the hole shaped in a tooth by a dentist to retain a filling.... cavity

(in dentistry) a solution of natural or synthetic resin in an organic solvent. It is used to provide a barrier against the passage of irritants from restorative materials and to reduce the penetration of oral fluids into the underlying *dentine.... cavity varnish

see acetabulum.... cotyloid cavity

(DOAC) a relatively recently introduced class of drugs that reduce coagulation of the blood by inhibition of one of the coagulation factors (Factor Xa). They may be used as an alternative to *warfarin in many (but not all) cases, their advantage being that regular blood tests are not required for dose adjustment. Examples include, apixaban, dabigatran, edoxaban, and rivaroxaban.... direct oral anticoagulant

(glenoid fossa) the socket of the shoulder joint: the pear-shaped cavity at the top of the *scapula into which the head of the humerus fits.... glenoid cavity

the space inside the nose that lies between the floor of the cranium and the roof of the mouth. It is divided into two halves by a septum: each half communicates with the outside via the nostrils and with the nasopharynx through the posterior nares.... nasal cavity

(oral antihyperglycaemic drug) one of the group of drugs that reduce the level of glucose in the blood and are taken by mouth for the treatment of type 2 *diabetes mellitus. They include the *sulphonylurea group (e.g. glibenclamide, gliclazide), metformin (a *biguanide), *alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, *meglitinides, *thiazolidinediones, *DPP-IV inhibitors, and *SGLT-2 inhibitors.... oral hypoglycaemic drug

see stomatology.... oral medicine

the procedure of rebuilding a dentition that has been mutilated as a result of disease, wear, or trauma.... oral rehabilitation

the chest cavity. See thorax.... thoracic cavity

(TORS) a form of robot-assisted surgery used for treating difficult-to-access tumours of the pharynx and larynx.... trans-oral robotic surgery

see middle ear.... tympanic cavity