The term lingual means relating to, near, or on the side toward the tongue. It is often used to designate part of a tooth surface or to show the position of an anatomical region. As one of the most prominent structures of the mouth, the tongue is used to help identify the location of other oral structures. In regard to the teeth, there are five different surfaces including the lingual surface. The other four are the buccal surface which is on the side facing the inside of the cheeks, the distal surface facing the back of the mouth, the mesial surface which faces the front or forward part of the mouth, and the occlusal surface. This last term refers to the chewing surface of the teeth, specifically the bicuspids and molars. Other parts of the oral anatomy which pertain to the tongue include lingual artery, lingual nerve, and lingual plate.