MOUTH

1. Inspect the client’s lips. Check for consistency and color.

Normal Findings: lips are smooth and moist without lesions or swelling

2. Inspect client’s mouth and teeth. Ask the client to open her mouth. Note for the number of teeth, its
color and condition. Note also if there are any repairs such as the crown and any cosmetics.

Normal Findings: Thirty-two pearly whitish teeth with smooth surface and edges. Upper molars
should rest directly on the lower molars and the front upper incisors should slightly override the lower
incisors. Some clients normally have only 28 teeth if the four wisdom teeth do not erupt. No decayed
areas; no missing teeth. Client may have appliances on the teeth. Client may have evidence of repair
work done on teeth. Gums are pink, moist, and firm with tight margins to the tooth. No lesions or
masses.

3. Ask the client to bite down as if she is chewing on something to observe the alignment of the upper
and lower jaw.

Normal Findings: In all clients, tissue is smooth and moist without lesions. Stenson's ducts are
visible with flow of saliva and with no redness, swelling, pain, or moistness in area. Fordyce spots or
granules, yellowish-whitish raised spots, are normal ectopic sebaceous glands

4. Put on gloves and retract client’s lips and cheeks to check the gums and note for color and
consistency.

Normal Fndings:

5. Inspect the buccal mucosa. Use a penlight and tongue depressor then retract the client’s mouth and
cheeks to check for color and consistency. Note also for Stenson’s Ducts.

6. Inspect and palpate tongue. Ask the client to stick out tongue.

7. Inspect for color, moisture, size, and texture. Observe for fasciculation and the midline protrusion.

8. Palpate for any lesion.

9. Assess the ventral surface of the tongue.

10. Ask the client to touch the tongue to the roof of the mouth, and use a penlight to inspect the ventral
surface of the tongue, frenulum and area under the tongue.

11. Palpate the area if you see any lesions.

12. Inspect for Wharton’s ducts.

13. Observe the sides of the tongue. Use a square gauze pad to hold the tongue from side to side.
Palpate any lesions, ulcers, or any nodules for induration.
14. Check for strength of the tongue by placing the fingers on the external surface of the client’s cheek.
Ask the client to press the tongue’s tip against the inside of the cheek to resist pressure from your
fingers. Repeat on the opposite cheek.

15. Check the anterior tongue’s ability to taste.

16. Inspect the hard and soft palates and uvula. Observe for color and integrity.

17. Note for the odor of the mouth.

18. Assess the uvula. Note the characteristics and positioning of the uvula. Observe for the color and
integrity.

19. Inspect the tonsils for color, size and presense of exudate or lesions.

20. Inspect the posterior pharyngeal wall. Observe the color of the throat and note any exudate or
lesions.

21. Before inspecting the nose, disregard gloves and perform hand hygiene.

NOSE