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The oropharynx lies behind the oral cavity, extending from the uvula to the level of the hyoid bone.
The oropharynx opens anteriorly, through the isthmus faucium, into the mouth, while in its lateral wall, between the palatoglossal arch and the palatopharyngeal arch, is the palatine tonsil.
The anterior wall consists of the base of the tongue and the epiglottic vallecula.
Its lateral wall is made up of the tonsil, tonsillar fossa, and tonsillar (faucial) pillars.
The superior wall consists of the inferior surface of the soft palate and the uvula.
The oropharynx is lined by non-keratinized squamous stratified epithelium.
The HACEK organisms (Haemophilus, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Cardiobacterium hominis, Eikenella corrodens, Kingella) are part of the normal oropharyngeal flora, which grow slowly, prefer a carbon dioxide-enriched atmosphere, and share an enhanced capacity to produce endocardial infections, especially in young children.