But not a lot about your tongue. Your tongue plays a vital role in your overall oral health! Did you know that your tongue is the fastest-healing part of your body? And without our tongues, we couldn’t speak, taste, or even swallow.
Six Facts About The Human Tongue:
- The tongue is a special kind of muscle called a muscular hydrostatic. This means that it operates without any help from your skeletal structure, like an elephant trunk or octopus tentacle.
- Your tongue is a natural cleaner—it starts clearing out food on your teeth after eating.
- Not all of your taste buds are located on your tongue. About 10% of them are found on your cheeks and the roof of your mouth.
- Almost 50% of the bacteria in your mouth is on your tongue. That’s why it’s important to brush your tongue for fresher breath!
- Taste buds are too small to be seen with the naked eye. Those little bumps on your tongue aren’t taste buds—they’re called papillae.
- Some people have pierced their tongues since ancient times, but there are serious oral health dangers associated with doing so, including chipped teeth and nerve damage.