Mouth (Buccal Cavity)

The mouth, also called the oral or buccal cavity, is the first part of the alimentary canal — the point at which food enters the digestive system. It is bounded in front by fleshy lips; its side walls are formed by the cheeks, its roof by the palate, and its floor by the tongue. The cavity is internally lined by a moist mucous membrane, and the ducts of the salivary glands open into it, delivering saliva that moistens and begins the chemical breakdown …