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palatum molle
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Tonsils diagramjpg
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Lateral wall of nasal cavity (Soft palate visible in lower right)
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Palate,+Soft
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The (or '''velum''', or '''muscular palate'''), is the soft
Tissue comprising the back of the roof of the
Mouth . It is movable, consisting of
Muscle fibers sheathed in
Mucous Membrane , and is responsible for closing off the
Nasal Passages during the act of
Swallowing . The soft palate is distinguished from the
Hard Palate at the front of the mouth in that it does not contain bone.
The soft palate's motion during breathing is responsible for the sound of
Snoring . Touching the soft palate evokes a strong
Gag Reflex in most people.
The soft palate also functions during speech to separate the oral cavity (mouth) from the
Nose , in order to produce the oral speech sounds. If this separation is incomplete, air escapes through the nose during speech and the speech is perceived as hypernasal.
