| oral hairy leukoplakia | A whitish lesion that appears on the side of the tongue and inside cheeks. The lesion appears raised, with a ribbed or hairy surface. Oral hairy leukoplakia occurs mainly in people with declining immunity and may be caused by Epstein-Barr virus infection. (11 Jan 1998) |
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| oral health | The optimal state of the mouth and normal functioning of the organs of the mouth without evidence of disease. (12 Dec 1998) |
| oral hygiene | The practice of personal hygiene of the mouth. It includes the maintenance of oral cleanliness, tissue tone, and general preservation of oral health. (12 Dec 1998) |
| oral hygiene index | A combination of the debris index and the dental calculus index to determine the status of oral hygiene. (12 Dec 1998) |
| oral lactose tolerance test | A test for lactose deficiency; the plasma glucose response to an oral lactose load is measured as in the (oral) glucose tolerance test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| oral manifestations | Disorders of the mouth attendant upon non-oral disease or injury. (12 Dec 1998) |
| oral medicine | A branch of dentistry dealing with diseases of the oral and paraoral structures and the oral management of systemic diseases. (hall, what is oral medicine, anyway? clinical update: national naval dental centre, march 1991, p7-8) (12 Dec 1998) |
| oral membrane | A bilaminar (ectoderm and endoderm) membrane derived from the prochordal plate; after the embryonic head fold has evolved it lies at the caudal limit of the stomodeum. Synonym: oral membrane, oropharyngeal membrane. (05 Mar 2000) |
| oral mucosa | The mucous membrane of the oral cavity, including the gingiva. Synonym: tunica mucosa oris. (05 Mar 2000) |
| oral part of pharynx | The area of the throat at the back of the mouth. (12 Dec 1998) |
| oral pathology | The branch of dentistry concerned with the aetiology, pathogenesis, and clinical, gross, and microscopic aspects of oral and paraoral disease, including oral soft tissues, the teeth, jaws, and salivary glands. Synonym: dental pathology. (05 Mar 2000) |
| oral pharynx | The area of the throat at the back of the mouth. (12 Dec 1998) |
| oral phase | In psychoanalytic personality theory, the earliest stage in psychosexual development, lasting through the first 18 months of life, during which the oral zone is the centre of the infant's needs, expression, gratification, and pleasurable erotic experiences; has a strong influence on the organization and development of the child's psyche. (05 Mar 2000) |
| oral physiotherapy | The use of a toothbrush, interdental stimulator, floss, irrigating device, or other adjunctive aid to maintain oral health Origin: physio-+ G. Therapeia, treatment (05 Mar 2000) |
| oral plate | A circumscribed area of fusion of foregut endoderm and stomodeal ectoderm in the embryo which breaks through early in development to establish the oral opening. See: buccopharyngeal membrane. (05 Mar 2000) |