The lips represent an important organ of the human body, which performs significant tasks and functions in everyday life. At the same time, they can also be affected by diseases or indicate specific diseases by showing certain symptoms.
What are lips?
Lips, which in medical terminology are also called labium oris, are the soft tissue folds found in the lower part of the face. They are a paired organ that shields the oral cavity from the external environment and are characterized by great inherent mobility. In addition, the lips together with the cheeks form the outer edge of the oral vestibule and fulfill several important functions in the everyday life of humans, which primarily include the intake of food or the formation of speech. However, the lips are found not only in humans, but also in mammals, in which they are often referred to as so-called lips and perform similar functions as in humans.
Anatomy and structure
The lips are composed of an upper and a lower lip, which are located above and below the opening of the mouth, respectively, and are interconnected at the corner of the mouth. In addition, both the upper and lower lips are attached to the gums on the inner sides by a mucosal fold, also known as the frenulum. The upper edge of the upper lip has a curved furrow in its center, which embodies the so-called cupid’s bow. Between this cupid’s bow and the nose there is also a depression, which is called the philtrum and can occur in various extensions. While the lips are covered with oral mucosa from the inside, a thin skin consisting of three to five cell layers surrounds them from the outside. In addition, the orbicularis oris muscle, which extends around the mouth, is decisive for the basic shape and texture of the lips. Other components of the mimic musculature also lead to a high degree of intrinsic mobility. In turn, the inferior labial artery and the superior labial artery, both of which originate from the facial artery, ensure an adequate blood supply to the lips.
Functions and tasks
The lips perform several important functions and tasks in the daily life of humans. In the foreground is especially the support of food intake, in which the lips move the ingested food or liquids into the oral cavity and to the teeth due to their great mobility in cooperation with the cheek. In addition to the function of food intake, the lips also play a major role in communication. For example, they are an important component for correct speech formation and contribute to the formation of the labial sounds (e.g., P, B, F, and M). However, the lips can help determine communication not only through speech formation, but also through their special role in facial expressions. Thus, through the lip movements directed by the mimic musculature, humans are able to express their emotions correctly. Through targeted movements, the lips can thus ensure that anger, sadness or joy, for example, are correctly perceived by the interlocutor. In addition, there are numerous nerve endings in the lips, through which a tactile function can be attributed to them.
Diseases and complaints
Since the lips are an organ of the human body, they can be affected by numerous diseases or show signs of certain diseases. A very common disease in this regard is the so-called herpes labialis – simplified as cold sores – which represents a form of herpes simplex infections and is noticeable by the formation of small, painful blisters on the lip. While herpes simplex infections are generally harmless, they can lead to serious complications within certain at-risk groups. These at-risk individuals include immunodeficient individuals such as HIV patients or newborns, as well as people with chronic skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis, in which the herpes blisters can spread over large areas of skin. In unconscious as well as in healthy people often a drying of the lips can be found. Increased consumption of tobacco, strong sun exposure, insufficient oral hygiene or dental malformations can also lead to cancerous growths on the lips.The upper lip in particular can be affected by diseases such as basal cell carcinoma due to increased exposure to UV rays. In addition, the everting of the lips allows a favorable view of the oral mucosa, which may indicate anemia present.
