Palatine uvula

The uvula should not be neglected when evaluating the oral cavity for any discrepancies. The uvula is a fleshy, soft tissue in the middle of the soft palate that hangs down in the back of the throat in front of the tonsils, resembling an oval or teardrop shape (see Figure 1). The uvula’s flexibility prevents food and liquids from entering the nasal cavity, as well as a deterrent for food to go down the windpipe and directing it instead towards the esophagus.

The uvula is comprised of connective tissue, saliva glands, and muscle tissue. The serous glands release thin saliva to keep the throat lubricated. The uvula is composed of muscular fibers completely surrounded by mucosa. The muscular fibers are part voluntary and involuntary and derived from cross fibers of the soft palate. The muscular tissue contains an abundance of blood vessels. The muscular portion shortens and broadens the uvula to contribute to closing the nasopharynx during swallowing.