The mouth is the first segment of the digestive system and an airway to the respiratory system. It also contains taste buds and helps in speech production. The oral cavity is a short passage delimited by the lips, hard palate, soft palate, cheeks and tongue. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The oral cavity includes the tongue, 32 teeth, gums, uvula, and openings for three pairs of salivary glands: parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands. The pharynx is the area behind the mouth and nose. The oropharynx is separated from the mouth by folds of tissue on each side, which constitute the anterior tonsillar pillars. Behind these folds are the tonsils. These masses of lymphoid tissue enlarge until puberty and then involve. The nasopharynx is continuous with the oropharynx, although it is above the oropharynx and behind the nasal cavity. Contains the pharyngeal tonsils or adenoids. By age 2.5 years, children typically have 20 primary (or temporary) teeth. These teeth are lost between the ages of 6 and 12 and replaced by permanent teeth. Setting up a dental practice during childhood offers the opportunity to make a significant impact on a patient's oral and overall health. Early dental evaluation aids in the prevention of dental disease and helps optimize lifelong oral health. Additionally, implementing early dental visits is a critical factor in not only providing a new source of patients, but also building patient loyalty by encouraging lifelong care. Although it has previously been recommended that the first dental visit should be scheduled at age three, unless a pediatrician has recommended an early evaluation, dental disease can set in much earlier. Eight percent of children aged two have at least one decayed or filled tooth, and more than 40 percent of children have tooth decay before the age of five. Early childhood caries (ECC) is a disease that, if severe, can impair growth, cause pain and infection, and have lasting harmful effects on the quality of life of patients and parents.2 In these cases, a dental visit at age Three years is often too late for prevention, and the interventions needed to treat ECC are expensive and invasive. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that the first dental visit occur within six months of the eruption of the first tooth or within one year of age. The timing of this visit not only offers an opportunity for dental caries screening, but also for preventative counseling and preventative guidance regarding oral hygiene techniques, diet, fluoride exposure, non-nutritive sucking habits and injury prevention. Although the need for an early examination has been advocated, the protocol is not routinely practiced because parents are largely unaware of it and many dentists have limited experience or interest in performing an infant oral examination. Establishing a dental practice during childhood consists of two components: medical history and physical examination followed by tooth decay risk assessment and preventative counseling. Medical and Dental History Taking maternal and child medical and dental history is a good opportunity to develop a relationship with parents and learn about their dental knowledge and expectations. Relevant questions should assess the child's demographics, medical history, including complications during pregnancy or birth, and medical conditions, including allergies, medications, hospital stays, and immunization status. Additionally, your dental history should include your hygiene routine.