The palate is the upper wall within the oral cavity. It is the counterpart to the tongue. As a result, it plays a major role in eating and speaking.
What is the palate?
The palate is a plate that is largely immobile and a small part movable, which separates the nasal cavity and the oral cavity. It includes various muscles as well as the soft palate and the uvula. This part of the body plays an important role in speech, eating and drinking. Thus, sounds are formed with its help, which refer to the place of origin by their name. If it is a palatal sound, it originates on the hard palate. “Velar” refers to the soft palate and the suffix “uvular” to the uvula. During music lessons, the function of the palate for speech can be explored in detail, because voice formation also takes place in the mouth. Paying special attention to how speaking and singing works helps to speak more clearly. This also develops a sensitivity and awareness of one’s own voice and speech.
Anatomy and structure
The palate separates the oral and nasal cavities. It is made up of two parts. The first part is formed from four bone plates and is called the hard palate (palatum durum). As the anterior front, it is formed by the two plates of the upper jaw and the two palatine bones. They are connected by sutures, the middle suture of which is still visible in adulthood. It is called the palatal suture (raphe palati). So-called palatal sutures are cross connections between the individual parts. They can be felt. The oral mucosa covers this framework. This has many glands and contains a large venous plexus, which ensures good blood circulation. At the teeth, the oral mucosa merges into the gums. The hard palate extends far into the oral cavity up to the wisdom teeth and then merges into the second, soft palate. This contains the soft palate (velum palatinum) and the uvula, which is located between the two sails. This part is formed by a connective tissue plate and is mobile. It adjoins the pharynx and partially closes it to the nasal cavity.
Function and tasks
The palate fulfills its function in addition to separating the oral and nasal cavities during eating, drinking, and speaking. When eating, the hard part serves as a counterpart to the jaw as well as the dentition, and thus it helps in the comminution of food. The hard palate makes it possible to form certain sounds when speaking by working together with the tongue and lips. The soft part separates the oral cavity from the nasal and pharyngeal cavities. It thus fulfills an important function, particularly during swallowing. In this case, the soft palate ensures that the food reaches the esophagus, because during swallowing it is pulled upward, blocking the way to the trachea and nasal cavity. Speaking means forming the flow of air from the lungs through the throat into sounds in the oral cavity with the help of the teeth, tongue, palate and lips. When speaking, the soft palate is also important because it regulates the flow of air from the lungs. When it is raised, sound formation is possible. Only in the case of nasal sounds does it lower, thus ensuring oral closure. In this case, the nasal cavity is open. It becomes a resonant chamber in which voiced nasals such as the “m” or the “n” can be formed.
Diseases and ailments
In this context, cleft lip and palate is the most common malformation that occurs in humans. As early as the embryonic stage of pregnancy, this area of the mouth does not develop properly, leading to problems with food intake and speech. Preventive measures can be taken already when the desire to have a child arises. Taking folic acid and giving up smoking and alcohol consumption reduces the risk of such malformation occurring. Timely vaccination against rubella also prevents contracting this disease during pregnancy and endangering the unborn child in this way. The cleft lip and palate has different forms. A mild form is the cleft lip, which can be easily corrected surgically and the appropriate sounds trained through subsequent speech therapy. In more severe forms, surgery must be performed immediately after birth, otherwise the child cannot be fed and will die.Inflammation of the oral mucosa (stomatitis) can spread to the palate if it is not treated. It is usually painful, but harmless. It accompanies a sore throat or inflammation of the gums. Even if the denture does not fit properly, it can cause inflammation on the palate due to irritation of the oral mucosa. It helps to pay attention to oral hygiene and take soothing herbal medications. If dentures are the trigger, a visit to the dentist will help. Oral cancer also affects the palate. Risk factors are alcohol, smoking, poor oral hygiene, poor diet (especially the lack of vitamins and trace elements) and toxins. It occurs more frequently after the age of 50, affecting mostly men. At the beginning, oral cancer manifests itself as pain in the mouth area, speech problems and bad breath. It can be treated by chemotherapy, especially if it occurs in the hard palate area.
