Blood Circulation Response in Oral Soft Tissues and its Physiological Mechanisms

Abstract
Oral vasomotor reflex induced by electrical stimulation to the oral and perioral structures was observed in cats. An needle type element of the thermister was inserted into the oral soft tissue to record temperature. The degrees of the temperature increasing response was most dominant in the buccal mucosa and the response decreased in order of the lower buccal gingivae, lower lingual gingivae, upper buccal gingivae and sublingual mucosa. This response of the oral soft tissue has a close relationship to the increase of the blood circulation of these tissues. This response is assumed to be attributed to the activation of the vasodilator nerve and inhibition of the vasoconstrictor of the oral soft tissues. The center of this autonomic vasomotor reflex was confirmed in the midbrain.