Oropharynx
Pars oralis pharyngis
RespiratoryOrgansHead
- What it is
- The middle part of the pharynx, behind the mouth from the soft palate down to the tip of the epiglottis, containing the palatine and lingual tonsils.
- Function
- Shared passage for air and food, where the breathing and swallowing pathways cross.
- Size
- About 4–5 cm high and 4 cm wide.
- Clinical note
- Loss of muscle tone here during sleep causes snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea; HPV now causes most oropharyngeal cancers in many countries.