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NEET MDS Oral Histology Flashcards
51 question-and-answer cards covering Oral Histology as it is examined in NEET MDS. 24 of them are printed below, taken from across the deck — no signup, no paywall on the preview.
24 sample cards from the Oral Histology deck
Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.
What are the four components of the periodontium?
Gingiva, periodontal ligament (PDL), cementum, and alveolar bone.
Name the principal fiber groups of the periodontal ligament.
Alveolar crest, horizontal, oblique (most numerous, resist masticatory/vertical forces), apical, and interradicular fibers. Plus the gingival fiber groups support the gingiva.
What are the cells found in the periodontal ligament?
Fibroblasts (predominant), osteoblasts/osteoclasts, cementoblasts/cementoclasts, undifferentiated mesenchymal cells, and the epithelial cell rests of Malassez (remnants of Hertwig's root sheath).
What are the three major (paired) salivary glands and their secretion type?
Parotid (purely serous), submandibular (mixed, predominantly serous), and sublingual (mixed, predominantly mucous).
Which is the largest major salivary gland and what is its duct?
The parotid gland is the largest; its main excretory duct is Stensen's duct, opening opposite the maxillary second molar.
What are the ducts of the submandibular and sublingual glands?
The submandibular gland drains via Wharton's duct (opening at the sublingual caruncle). The sublingual gland drains via the ducts of Rivinus and the larger duct of Bartholin.
Describe the duct system of a salivary gland from acinus outward.
Acinus → intercalated duct → striated duct → excretory duct. Striated ducts (basal infoldings rich in mitochondria) modify electrolytes, reabsorbing Na+ and secreting K+.
What are serous demilunes and myoepithelial cells?
Serous demilunes are crescent-shaped caps of serous cells over mucous acini in mixed glands. Myoepithelial (basket) cells are contractile cells surrounding acini/intercalated ducts that squeeze saliva into the ducts.
Where are minor salivary glands located and what is their secretion?
Scattered in the submucosa of the lips, buccal mucosa, palate, and tongue. Most are mucous-secreting; an exception is the von Ebner glands (serous) associated with circumvallate papillae.
What is the approximate daily salivary output and pH of saliva?
About 0.5-1.5 liters per day; resting salivary pH is roughly 6.0-7.0 (around neutral).
What are the major organic enzymes and antimicrobial components of saliva?
Salivary amylase (ptyalin, starch digestion) and lingual lipase; antimicrobials include lysozyme, lactoferrin, peroxidase, and secretory IgA.
List the main functions of saliva.
Lubrication, digestion (amylase), protection/buffering (bicarbonate), antimicrobial defense, taste facilitation (solvent action), and remineralization of enamel via calcium and phosphate.
What is xerostomia and a major cause?
Xerostomia is the subjective sensation of dry mouth from reduced salivary flow. Causes include Sjögren's syndrome, head/neck radiation, and medications (e.g., anticholinergics, antihistamines).
What is a mucocele and a ranula?
A mucocele is a mucus extravasation/retention cyst of minor salivary glands, commonly on the lower lip. A ranula is a mucocele of the sublingual/submandibular gland in the floor of the mouth.
What is the most common neoplasm of salivary glands and its common site?
Pleomorphic adenoma (benign mixed tumor) is the most common salivary gland tumor, most frequently arising in the parotid gland.
What are the three functional types of oral mucosa?
Masticatory mucosa (keratinized; gingiva and hard palate), lining mucosa (non-keratinized; cheeks, lips, floor of mouth, soft palate, ventral tongue), and specialized mucosa (dorsum of tongue with taste papillae).
What are the layers of keratinized oral epithelium?
From basal to surface: stratum basale, stratum spinosum, stratum granulosum, and stratum corneum (keratinized layer). Non-keratinized epithelium lacks the granulosum and corneum and has a stratum intermedium/superficiale instead.
What are the four types of lingual papillae?
Filiform (keratinized, no taste buds, most numerous), fungiform (with taste buds), foliate (lateral tongue, taste buds), and circumvallate (8-12 anterior to sulcus terminalis, surrounded by von Ebner glands, rich in taste buds).
What are the non-keratinocyte cells of oral epithelium?
Melanocytes (pigment, basal layer), Langerhans cells (antigen-presenting/immune), and Merkel cells (touch/mechanoreceptors, basal layer).
Name two potentially malignant disorders of the oral mucosa.
Leukoplakia (white patch that cannot be rubbed off, not attributable to another condition) and erythroplakia (red patch, higher malignant transformation risk). Oral submucous fibrosis and lichen planus are also implicated.
Which bones form the temporomandibular joint and what type of joint is it?
The mandibular condyle articulates with the glenoid (mandibular) fossa and articular eminence of the temporal bone. It is a synovial, compound, ginglymoarthrodial (hinge plus gliding) joint.
What is unusual about the articular surfaces of the TMJ histologically?
They are covered by fibrocartilage (dense fibrous connective tissue with cartilage), not hyaline cartilage like most synovial joints, making it more resistant to repair and degenerative change.
Describe the articular disc of the TMJ and its zones.
A biconcave fibrocartilaginous disc dividing the joint into upper and lower compartments. It has a thin avascular intermediate zone between thicker anterior and posterior bands; the posterior attachment (bilaminar zone) is vascular and innervated.
What are the two functional movements/compartments of the TMJ and a common disorder?
The lower (disc-condyle) compartment allows rotation (hinge); the upper (disc-temporal) compartment allows translation (gliding). A common disorder is internal derangement with anterior disc displacement, causing clicking, and TMD/myofascial pain.
What this deck covers
The Oral Histology deck follows the NEET MDS Oral Histology syllabus — 6 chapters and 21 topics — so questions land on material that is genuinely examinable rather than trivia around it. That works out to roughly 8.5 cards per chapter.
Answers are written to be recallable, not just readable — averaging about 177 characters, which is long enough to carry the reasoning and short enough to say out loud.
A deck like this earns its keep on the second and third pass. Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then use the cards to find the specific facts that have not stuck.
Oral Histology flashcards FAQ
How many Oral Histology flashcards are in this NEET MDS deck?
51 cards. This page previews 24 of them, sampled evenly across the deck so you can judge the difficulty before installing anything.
Are these NEET MDS flashcards free?
Yes. The preview here is free to read with no signup, and the full 51-card deck is free inside the Examius app.
What do the Oral Histology cards cover?
They follow the NEET MDS Oral Histology syllabus — 6 chapters and 21 topics — so the questions track what is actually examinable.
How should I use these flashcards?
Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then drill the deck. Examius schedules each card with spaced repetition, so cards you keep missing come back sooner and ones you know drift further apart.