Oral medicine and oral cancer: lymphatic drainage of the tongue tip: practice question

A Dentistry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Dentistry · Oral medicine and oral cancer: lymphatic drainage of the tongue tip

Sample item

Which lymph node group receives lymph directly from the tip of the tongue, with drainage that crosses the midline?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Submental nodes

The tip of the tongue drains to the submental nodes, on both sides, and some vessels go directly to deep cervical nodes. The lateral border and anterior dorsum drain mainly to submandibular nodes, and the posterior third drains to the jugulodigastric group. Because of crossing, tip tumours can spread to both sides of the neck.

Option by option

  • A. Submental nodes (correct)

    Correct. The tip drains to submental nodes, including to the opposite side.

  • B. Parotid nodes

    Parotid nodes drain the scalp and face and not the tongue.

  • C. Submandibular nodes

    The submandibular group drains the lateral border and anterior two thirds on the same side mainly.

  • D. Jugulodigastric nodes

    The jugulodigastric node mainly receives posterior tongue and tonsil lymph.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is A, Submental nodes. The tip of the tongue drains to the submental nodes, on both sides, and some vessels go directly to deep cervical nodes.

Why is "Parotid nodes" not the answer?

Parotid nodes drain the scalp and face and not the tongue.

Why is "Submandibular nodes" not the answer?

The submandibular group drains the lateral border and anterior two thirds on the same side mainly.

Why is "Jugulodigastric nodes" not the answer?

The jugulodigastric node mainly receives posterior tongue and tonsil lymph.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral medicine and oral cancer: lymphatic drainage of the tongue tip in Dentistry. The lateral border and anterior dorsum drain mainly to submandibular nodes, and the posterior third drains to the jugulodigastric group. Because of crossing, tip tumours can spread to both sides of the neck.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Oral medicine and oral cancer: lymphatic drainage of the tongue tip?

Learn the dental formula, eruption ages and tooth structure once, as tables. Then use the flashcards and the other Dentistry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.