The uvula is the structure seen
hanging down from the soft palate in the middle of the throat at the back of
the mouth. It gets blamed for causing snoring, and is sometimes removed
to treat snoring. Unfortunately, other structures can often contribute to
snoring or more severe conditions, such as obstructive sleep apnea, can fail to
respond to removing the uvula. It is also painful to remove. Why is
it there in the first place? The palate and uvula serve to help direct
airflow through the nose down to the voicebox and lungs. These structures
serve as a valve to close off the airway when speaking or swallowing, so that
things do not go up the nose. My kids can still have this happen if they
laugh too hard while drinking. While we do not use the uvula much with
speaking English, other languages, such as Spanish, French and Hebrew, use
"uvular consonants". "Drilling your r's" in Spanish
is a typical use. The uvula is also active in yodeling. The uvula
can occasionally swell up, most commonly from being sucked down the throat
while snoring, or stretched during upper endoscopies.
Dr. Caroline Wallace DDS
Complete Dental Care
103 South Colorado Street
Salem, Virginia, 24153
540-387-3844
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