Lining mucosa

Locations: Oral/inner surface of lip, inner surface of cheek, floor of mouth, soft palate, ventral/inferior surfaces of the tongue, alveolar mucosal surface

Stratified squamous non-keratinized epithelium

Fewer and shorter papillae to the movement of its underlying muscles

Numerous deep papillae in the alveolar mucosa

Thickness of the epithelium variable

A distinct submucosa underlies the lining mucosa except on the inferior surface of the tongue

In the lips, cheeks, and tongue, it covers skeletal muscles; alveolar mucosa, bone and in soft palate, cheeks and inferior surface of the tongue, glands