The oral cavity is bounded anteriorly by the lips, laterally by the cheeks, superiorly by the hard palateThe palate separates the oral cavity from the nasal cavity., and inferiorly by the mucosa covering the superior surface of the tongueThe tongue is anchored to the mouth by webs of tough tissue and mucosa. In the back of the mouth, the tongue is anchored into the hyoid bone. and the sheet of muscles attaching to the inner side of the mandible.