What is the method of administering drugs that involves absorption through the mucous membranes in the mouth?

The method of administering drugs that involves absorption through the mucous membranes in the mouth is called buccal administration. In this method, medication is placed between the gums and the inner lining of the cheek, allowing for rapid absorption into the bloodstream through the mucous membranes. This leads to a quicker onset of action than typical oral administration since the drug bypasses the digestive system and the first-pass metabolism in the liver.

Sublingual administration, while also a method that works through the mucous membranes in the mouth, specifically involves placing the drug under the tongue. This method can also provide rapid absorption but is distinct from buccal administration, which focuses on the cheek area.

Oral administration refers to the process of swallowing drugs that then must travel through the digestive system for absorption, which is a different mechanism altogether. Subcutaneous administration involves injecting drugs into the fatty tissue beneath the skin, which does not involve the mucous membranes of the mouth at all.

Thus, buccal administration is the correct method associated with absorption through the specific mucous membranes in the mouth.