Oral mucosa

The oral mucosa is a mucous membrane that covers all structures inside the oral cavity except the teeth. The oral mucosa varies in color from pink to brownish purple depending on an individual's skin color (fig. 12). The structure of the oral mucosa varies depending on its location in the oral cavity and the function of that area. The mucosa lining the cheeks is not designed to withstand the heavy force of mastication while the masticatory mucosa covering the jaws is structured to withstand the forces of mastication. A specialized mucosa that includes taste buds covers the tongue (fig. 13).