Face, Neck, & Head Glossary
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Adenoidectomy (ad-eh-noy-DEK-teh-me): The adenoids (say: AD-eh-noyds) are a patch of tissue in the back of the throat behind the nose. Their job is to help keep you healthy by trapping harmful bacteria and viruses that you breathe in or swallow. But sometimes adenoids can cause problems and need to be removed.
An adenoidectomy is the name of the surgery to remove a kid’s adenoids. An ear, nose, and throat doctor (ENT) does an adenoidectomy at the hospital. Kids get medicine (anesthesia) that makes them fall asleep. The medicine blocks any pain. After the surgery, most kids go home the same day. A kid will probably have a sore throat and need to eat soft foods for a few days. Most kids feel back to normal in less than a week.
Alignment (Say: uh-LINE-ment): Alignment means to bring into line. If your teeth aren't straight, their alignment might need a little help. You can get perfect alignment with braces, those little metal wires that move your teeth into place. They're not too bad — just a little uncomfortable at first. After they're taken off, you'll have a straight and beautiful smile.
Astigmatism (eh-STIG-muh-tih-zum): If you take a good look at your eye, you might barely see your cornea, the clear outer covering of the eye. For someone with astigmatism, the cornea is uneven, which changes how light enters the eye and can make things look funny. Things may look blurry, like making the letter "D" look like a "B," or wavy, like looking in a funhouse mirror. But glasses will fix that problem in no time
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Boogers (BU-gurz): Got your finger up your nose? (We hope not!) If you do, you can probably feel a booger. Boogers are made of dried mucus, dust, pollen, and dirt. They can be squishy or hard, but they do an important job — they help keep that bad stuff from getting into your lungs. Boogers are full of germs, so it's a good idea not to pick them (blow them out into a tissue instead).
Bruxism (BRUKS-iz-em): Take a bite out of this — bruxism is the word for grinding your teeth, usually during sleep. Many kids do this, but most outgrow it without lasting problems.
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Canine Teeth (KAY-nine): Woof, woof, what's that tooth? Your canine teeth are the pointy ones next to your front teeth. You have two on top and two on the bottom. Because they're sharp, they help tear food. Grrrr!
Canker Sore (KAN-kur): This is a small mouth sore that's a big pain. Canker sores are open sores that have a white or yellowish coating and are usually about ¼ of an inch across. You might find them on the inside of your lips and cheeks, at the base of your gums, and on or under your tongue.
Caries (KAIR-eez): Better brush to keep those caries away! That's another word for cavities, or tooth decay. Caries can happen when you don't brush and floss your teeth regularly. Be sure to visit your dentist at least twice a year.
Cerumen (suh-ROO-men): This word means wax. But not just any wax — it's earwax! Sticky cerumen lines the outer ear canal and helps trap dirt, germs, and other stuff that gets in your ear. So listen up — that gunk in your ears has an important job!
Cleft Lip ( kleft lip): A cleft is a split between two things. Some babies are born with lips that haven't grown together while they were developing inside their mom. Cleft lips can make it hard for children to eat or talk. Surgery can fix a cleft lip.
Cleft Palate (kleft PAL-et): A cleft is a split between two things. The palate is the roof of your mouth. If you feel inside the middle of your mouth, you can touch the seam where the two halves of your mouth grew together while you were developing inside your mom.
Some babies are born with palates that haven't grown together. Cleft palates can make it hard for kids to eat or talk and they also can cause hearing problems. Surgery can fix a cleft palate.
Cochlea (KOH-klee-uh): The cochlea is a hollow tube deep in your ear. It looks like a spiral-shaped snail shell and plays an important part in helping you hear: It changes sounds into nerve messages and sends them to your brain. After the eardrum takes in a sound, the sound gets turned into a vibration that travels to the cochlea. There, the tiny hairs that line the cochlea move and shake, sending messages to your brain that you hear a sound. And this all happens in a split second!
Cones: No, not the kind you put ice cream in ... the kind in your eyes! Cones are tiny cells in the back of the eye that are sensitive to light and help you see. A problem with the chemicals in the cones, or if some color cones are missing, can cause color blindness (when someone has trouble telling the difference between red and green or between blue and yellow).
Congestion (kun-JES-chun): Need to blow your nose? Congestion happens when your nose gets stuffy and makes it hard to breathe. Usually, you have congestion when you have a cold or allergies and your nose gets plugged up with mucus (otherwise known as snot). Being congested is no fun, but you'll feel better with rest, lots of fluids, and the right kind of medicine.
Conjunctivitis (kon-jung-tih-VY-tis): Is your eye looking pink and not so pretty? Sounds like conjunctivitis, often called pinkeye. This can happen when the conjunctiva, the covering of your eye and inside your eyelids, gets infected. Your eye may feel itchy and like you have a grain of sand caught in it. Your eye may be teary or gunky, especially when you wake up in the morning. Sometimes pinkeye will get better on its own, but some kids will need special eye drops to make it go away.
Contact Lenses (KON-takt LENZ-ez): Contact lenses are small, thin pieces of plastic that you put in your eyes to help you see better. They're kind of like glasses, except they're right on top of your eyes. That may sound a little weird at first, but you can't see them and usually you can't feel them either. How's that for a vanishing act?
Corneas (KOR-nee-uhz): The corneas are part of your eyes, but you've probably never noticed them before. They're thin, clear, and cover your eyes. Corneas are important because they help you see by focusing light as it enters the eye. So take a good look at your eye the next time you look in the mirror, and try to spot your cornea!
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Dandruff (DAN-dref): Dandruff is flakes of dead skin on your head that come loose all the time, but especially when you scratch your head, brush your hair, or pull a shirt over your head. Sometimes, during puberty, your oil glands go a little wild and you develop a lot more dandruff than normal. But with the right shampoo or medicine, you can fight that flaky feeling.
Decongestants (dee-kun-JES-tents): Decongestants are medicines that keep your nose from being stuffy. When you have a cold, your nose gets a little swollen inside and can fill up with mucus (snot). Decongestants stop your nose from becoming swollen so it doesn't feel as plugged up.
Dental Floss: Dental floss is string sometimes coated with wax. Using it each day keeps the dentist away. Why? Because flossing is a way of cleaning your teeth and gums. When you pull dental floss between your teeth, it reaches tiny places your toothbrush can't and pulls out bits of food and plaque that got left behind. So get out that floss and get to work!
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Ear Canals (KUH-nalz): You'll need a mirror to do it, but take a good look at your ear. Do you see that hole in it that goes into your head? That's an ear canal. Your ear canals let in sound so you can hear. Glands in the ear canal make cerumen, or earwax.
Eardrums: Your eardrums are a really important part of your ear. Sound waves travel through the ear canal to reach the eardrum. The eardrum is a thin flap of skin that stretches tight like a drum and vibrates when sound hits it. These vibrations move the tiny bones of the middle ear, which send vibrations to the inner ear. From the inner ear, the message is sent to the brain, which says, "Hey! I hear something!" So feel those good vibrations!
Enamel (eh-NA-mul): Say cheese and show off your enamel! Enamel is the hardest substance in your whole body, and it covers and protects your teeth.
Epiglottis (eh-pih-GLAH-tis): The epiglottis is super for swallowing. It's the part of your body that flops down over the windpipe when you swallow to keep food from going into your lungs. Without your epiglottis, you would cough or choke every time you eat.
Epistaxis (eh-puh-STAK-sus): Epistaxis is usually no big deal — it's just the medical word for a nosebleed.
Esophagus (ih-SOF-eh-guss): This part of the digestive system is like a stretchy pipe that's about 10 inches (25 centimeters) long. It moves food from the back of your throat to your stomach.
Eustachian Tube (yoo-STAY-shun): This is one top tube! It runs between the inside of the ear and the throat, and its job is to make sure the pressure is the same on both sides of your eardrum. Have you ever had trouble hearing on an airplane? Try yawning or chewing gum and pop! Your eustachian tube will open and you'll be able to hear normally again.
External Otitis (ek-STUR-nul oh-TY-tus): Also called otitis externa (oh-TY-tus ek-STUR-nuh). Many kids have had an ear infection known as external otitis. It's often called swimmer's ear, but you don't have to be a swimmer to get it.
The ear has 3 parts: the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. When the ear canal, which is part of the outer ear, gets infected, you have external otitis. It can make your ear hurt, especially when you touch it.
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Farsighted (FAHR-sy-tid): If it's easy for you to see things far away but you have trouble seeing things that are close, you might be farsighted. A lot of kids who have trouble reading books are farsighted.
Being farsighted is the opposite of being nearsighted (which means you're able to see things that are up close). But don't worry about being farsighted because contact lenses or some cool glasses will get you reading in no time.
Fluoride (FLOOR-ide): This mineral can help your teeth stay strong and look super! Brush your teeth with toothpaste that contains fluoride to keep your healthy smile.
Frenulum (FREN-yuh-lum): The frenulum is the piece of skin that attaches your tongue to the bottom of your mouth. But if your frenulum is too short, that's called tongue-tied, and it can cause problems with your speech. Doctors sometimes do an operation to free up the tongue by snipping the frenulum. If you need this operation, a doctor will give you a special medicine called anesthesia to keep you comfortable.
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Gingivitis (jin-jih-VY-tis): Got gums? Then you have to protect them against gingivitis, the word for gum disease. So brush and floss to keep those gums feeling fine!
Gums (GUMZ): Believe it or not, you always have gum in your mouth. No, not chewing gum! Look in the mirror and smile. See that pink area where your teeth are attached? Those are called gums, and they help keep your teeth in place.
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Hyperopia (hi-per-OH-pee-uh): Having hyperopia is also known as being farsighted, which means you can see things far away, but have trouble seeing objects up close, like the words in a book. A lot of people have hyperopia, which is usually corrected by wearing glasses.
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Iris (EYE-ris): Your iris is the colored part of your eye. So if someone has brown eyes, it means that person's irises are brown. The iris is about more than looks, though. Your iris controls the size of the pupil — the black dot in the center of your eye — and how much light is let into your eye.
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Lacrimal Glands (LAK-ruh-mul glandz): Boo hoo hoo, crying is what these parts help you do! These tiny glands above the outer corner of each eye turn on the waterworks and make tears.
Larynx (LAIR-inks): If you can sing "la la la," then you have a larynx! It's the fancy word for the voice box, which works with air from your lungs to let you talk, whisper, sing, and yell. Thanks, larynx!
Lens (lenz): The lens is the part of the eye that focuses on what you see. Even though you can't feel it, the lens moves and changes, depending on what you're looking at. When you look at a boat way out in the ocean, the lens gets thinner, and when you look at a page in a book, the lens gets thicker.
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Malocclusion (mal-uh-KLOO-zhun): Malocclusion is a word that dentists and orthodontists use when your teeth don't come together like they should. Braces are used to fix this problem. Malocclusion actually means "bad bite" in Latin. Now there's something to chew on!
Mucus (MYOO-kus): When you think of mucus, you might think of snot, which is that sticky stuff inside your nose. But that's only part of the story. You'll also find mucus in your mouth, lungs, stomach, and intestines. Wherever you find mucus, it protects and lubricates mucous membranes in your body.
Myopia (my-OH-pee-uh): Myopia is also known as nearsightededness, which means you can see things up close, but have trouble seeing objects far away, like the words on a chalkboard. A lot of people have myopia, which is usually corrected by wearing glasses.
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Nearsighted (NEER-sy-tid): You might be nearsighted if you easily can see things up close but have trouble seeing things that are far away, like the chalkboard when you sit in the back of the classroom.
Being nearsighted is the opposite of being farsighted, which is the ability to see things far away. But don't worry, nearsightedness is nothing a pair of glasses won't fix!
Night Guard: Night guards protect teeth. They're made of plastic and are like the mouth guards that football players use. You wear one when you sleep to keep you from grinding your teeth. If you grind your teeth too much, your teeth can wear down.
Nits (NITZ): Many kids have had nasty nits. These are the eggs that head lice lay. A nit is smaller than a sesame seed and is firmly attached to a strand of hair.
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Ophthalmologist (af-thal-MAHL-uh-jist): An ophthalmologist is an eye doctor. This type of doctor helps people with all kinds of eye problems and does surgery on the eye, if needed.
Optician (op-TIH-shun): An optician is the person you see when you go to buy your glasses that were prescribed by an ophthalmologist or optometrist. The optician makes sure you get the right lenses to help you see and glasses that fit your face.
Optometrist (op-TOM-uh-trist): An optometrist examines your eyes and tests your vision. If you need glasses, an optometrist can tell what kind of glasses or contact lenses are right for you.
Orthodontist (or-tho-DON-tist): An orthodontist is a dentist who specializes in making teeth straight, instead of fixing cavities. An orthodontist knows how to put on braces and make retainers. Braces and retainers can be a little uncomfortable at first, but your perfect smile will be worth it.
Otalgia (oh-TAL-jee-uh): Otalgia means ear pain or an earache. Lots of things can cause otalgia, including ear infections, too much earwax, airplane pressure, swimmer's ear, and even dental problems.
Otitis Media (oh-TY-tus ME-dee-uh): Most kids have had an ear infection, also known as otitis media. Media means middle, so when you get an ear infection, germs get into the middle part of the ear causing fluid or pus to build up in the space behind the eardrum. This makes your ear sore. The good news is that ear infections often go away on their own in a few days. Sometimes a doctor will give you some medicine to make it better.
Otolaryngologist (oh-toh-lar-un-GAH-luh-jist): Ear! Nose! Throat! An otolaryngologist is a doctor who takes care of all these parts. You might go to see an otolarygologist (also called an ENT doctor) if you have too many ear infections or problems with your tonsils.
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Palate (PAL-it): You've probably tickled this part of your mouth with your tongue before — it's the fancy name for the roof of your mouth.
Pinna (PIH-nuh): What? What? Better put your hand around your pinna to hear this better. That's the name for the part of your ear that you can see, the part that sticks out from the side of your head.
Plaque (PLAK): Plaque is a sticky, slimy substance made up mostly of the germs that cause tooth decay. That's why it's important to brush your teeth at least twice every day and floss daily. If too much plaque builds up on and between your teeth, you'll get cavities or — even worse — gum disease!
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Retainer (ree-TAY-ner): Your teeth won't go far, but they can move after your braces are removed. That's why you have to wear a retainer. Retainers help hold your new smile in place.
Retina (RET-ih-nuh): The retina is at the back of your eye and it has light-sensitive cells called rods and cones. When you look at something, light hits the retina, then the rods and cones send electrical signals to the brain along the optic nerve. The brain uses these signals to interpret what you are seeing. See what I mean?
Retinopathy (reh-tin-AH-puh-thee): Having diabetes for many years — especially if it's uncontrolled — can damage an important part of the eye called the retina. The retina is important for vision. It's the lining of the back of the eye that senses light. Retinopathy is the medical word for disease of the retina. When it's caused by diabetes it's called diabetic retinopathy.
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Sclera (SKLAIR-uh): The sclera is the white part of your eye. It's a tough, protective covering and the muscles that control eye movement are connected to it.
Sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia (SFEE-noh-pal-uh-teen gan-glee-oh-new-RAL-juh): These big words are another way to say “brain freeze” or "ice cream headache." You know, the feeling you get when you eat something really cold and your head goes "Yow!"
Strep Throat: Strep throat is an infection caused by a type of bacteria called group A streptococcus (say: strep-toe-KOK-us). Not all sore throats are due to a strep infection.
To figure out if you have strep throat, your doctor will ask you so say "ahh" to see inside your mouth. They might use a swab to collect bacteria from the back of your throat. If you do have strep, you'll need to take antibiotics to help you feel better.
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Taste Buds: If you love ice cream, thank your taste buds. Without them, you couldn't savor that satisfying sweet treat — or anything else. Tiny bumps all over your tongue called papillae (say: puh-PILL-ee) contain taste buds, which have very sensitive microscopic hairs called microvilli (say: my-kro-VIH-ly). Those tiny hairs send messages to the brain about how something tastes, so you know if it's sweet, sour, bitter, or salty.
Tinnitus (TIN-ih-tis or tih-NYE-tis): This is the word for a ringing sound in the ears. Tinnitus can be caused by loud music or noises or even ear infections.
Tonsillectomy (tahn-suh-LEK-tuh-me): Tonsils, those two bumps on each side of the back of your throat, are "germ catchers" for your body. Sometimes, though, these germs multiply, hang out on your tonsils, and make them swollen, red, and painful. Usually, medicine can make you better. But if you keep getting tonsil infections — called tonsillitis — doctors can help by doing an operation called a tonsillectomy, where they take your tonsils out. Luckily, our tonsils aren't super important parts of our bodies, so you won't miss them when they're gone.
Trachea (TRAY-kee-uh): Your trachea is also called your windpipe. It carries air in and out of your lungs.
Tragus (TRAY-gus): That little bump on the outside of your ear canal is called the tragus. It's made of cartilage, and the funny thing is, it doesn't really do anything! But it does make it easy to tell if you have swimmer's ear because if you do, your ear will hurt when you touch your tragus.
Tympanogram (tim-PAN-oh-gram): Tympanic membrane is the fancy name for eardrum, so when a doctor wants to find out how a person's eardrum is working, they may order a tympanometry test. The doctor uses a special machine that is small enough to be inserted into the ear. It makes a quiet noise that should get the eardrum moving. The result of this test is called a tympanogram.
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Vitreous Body (VIH-tree-us): The vitreous body takes up most of the eye and gives the eye its shape. It is the space between the lens and the retina and it is filled with vitreous humor, which is a clear jelly.
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Wisdom Teeth (WIZ-dum): You will have learned a lot by the time you get your wisdom teeth, but they don't make you any smarter! Between the ages of 17 and 21, most people get 4 more molars all the way in the back of the mouth, one in each corner. If wisdom teeth don't grow in properly, they may have to be removed.
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Yawn: Yawning is when you stretch your mouth open wide. No one really knows why we do it, but it seems to be contagious. If you yawn in class, you'll probably notice a few other people will start yawning too. Even thinking about yawning can get you yawning. Even though we yawn when we're tired or bored, we hope you didn't yawn while reading about yawning!