{"id":3757,"date":"2021-07-19T17:36:29","date_gmt":"2021-07-19T17:36:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thedentalexpress.com\/?p=3757"},"modified":"2024-03-07T01:18:28","modified_gmt":"2024-03-07T01:18:28","slug":"6-things-you-never-knew-about-your-tongue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thedentalexpress.com\/dental-blog\/6-things-you-never-knew-about-your-tongue\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Things You Never Knew About Your Tongue"},"content":{"rendered":"
Without our tongues, life would be quite a hassle.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n We wouldn\u2019t be able to hold a conversation with each other\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n We wouldn\u2019t be able to <\/span>eat or swallow properly<\/b><\/a>\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n But worst of all, we wouldn\u2019t be able to taste our food.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The thought alone is enough to make you shiver!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n But luckily, these lingual masterpieces of biology are right where they\u2019re supposed to be. And as it turns out, there\u2019s a whole lot more to them than their primary functions.<\/span><\/p>\n Today, we\u2019re bringing you a fun and informative article filled with little-known things you never knew about your tongue about one of the most important organs of the human body. Follow along as we share 6 Things You Never Knew About Your Tongue!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n While it\u2019s not at risk of developing tooth decay, your tongue is still exposed to the same amount and types of bacteria as your teeth.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n And as you\u2019ve likely noticed by now, it\u2019s not smooth; there are little bumps and grooves all over it.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Well, those bumps are called papillae, and the way they\u2019re shaped and arranged on the surface of your tongue creates the perfect hangout spot for food debris and <\/span>oral bacteria.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Without proper care, that bacteria can encourage the development of <\/span>dental plaque<\/b><\/a>, potentially leading to tooth decay and gum disease.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n But that\u2019s where your daily dental care habits come in. You\u2019ve probably already heard that it\u2019s essential to brush your tongue every time you brush your teeth.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Now you know why. Tongue health is essential to dental health!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n With the world chewing through an estimated <\/span>560,000 tons<\/b><\/a> of gum per year, we humans are no strangers to the battle against bad breath\u2026(and that\u2019s not even counting mint sales!)<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n But many people are under the impression that since much of the \u201cbad breath\u201d bacteria sits on the tongue, tongue scrapers can provide a better defense than traditional tongue brushing.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The scientific community tends to disagree, however.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n There\u2019s a term for the types of bacteria that cause bad breath: volatile sulfur compounds, or VSCs.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n In a study by the <\/span>Journal of the American Dental Association (ADA)<\/b><\/a>, researchers found that although both the tongue cleaner (a combination brush and scraper) and the tongue scraper were more effective at reducing VSC levels than regular brushing, the reduction only lasted for thirty minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n After that amount of time, the VSC levels for all three methods returned to normal. With only a thirty-minute window, the ADA wasn\u2019t comfortable promoting tongue scraping as a useful weapon in the fight against bad breath.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n But don\u2019t let this research discourage you from using tongue scrapers to improve your tongue health! We\u2019ll talk more about this <\/span>oral health<\/b><\/a> technique in a moment.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n You\u2019ve probably heard that the tongue is the strongest muscle in the body at some point or another.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n But not only is this statement false, it\u2019s also misleading. The tongue is actually made up of two different muscle groups, each containing four muscles!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n One group of muscles secures the tongue to the surrounding facial structures, while the other makes up the incredibly flexible and agile pink blob that we see when we open our mouths.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n You\u2019ll notice in the previous sentence that we didn\u2019t say the tongue attaches to a specific bone\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Well, this is because it doesn\u2019t play by the same rules as the other muscles in your body.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Together, the two groups of tongue muscles form something called a muscular hydrostat, which works a lot like an octopus\u2019s tentacles.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n This complex network of muscles functions independently of any bone structure and allows you to twist, turn, and morph your tongue into all kinds of shapes and sizes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n And it\u2019s a good thing too because, without all that range of motion, speaking and eating would be a whole lot harder!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n *By the way, pound for pound, the strongest muscle in the human body is the masseter, a jaw muscle that\u2019s responsible for closing your teeth!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Yes, you read that right.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n There is, in fact, an oral health condition called \u201chairy tongue\u201d that causes your tongue to take on a furry look.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Remember the papillae from fact number one?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n If for whatever reason, they\u2019re unable to shed away their dead skin cells, they hold onto that extra tissue instead and continue to grow longer.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Reaching further out from the base of the tongue, these extended papillae catch far more food particles and bacteria than normal.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The result? The papillae become stained by whatever bacteria comes into contact with them, giving your tongue that hairy look.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n And the \u201cfur\u201d could be black, brown, or white in color, depending on what you eat or drink.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sounds terrible, doesn\u2019t it?!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Don\u2019t worry. Hairy tongue is usually totally harmless, painless, and you can easily brush the fur away with a tongue scraper or toothbrush.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n But what causes this freaky-looking condition?<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The cause of hairy tongue is hard to pin down, but according to <\/span>Mayo Clinic<\/b><\/a>, these factors may play a role:<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Although regular brushing can typically get rid of this unsettling condition, if it doesn\u2019t go away, make an appointment with your <\/span>San Diego dentist<\/b><\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Just like you have a fingerprint that\u2019s unique to you, you also have a totally original tongue print!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Much like the grooves in the skin on your fingertips, the arrangement of the papillae on your tongue is responsible for this one-of-a-kind design.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Interestingly, forensic scientists are working out a way to use people\u2019s tongue prints as a way of identifying them.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n According to a study by the <\/span>Journal of Forensic Dental Science:<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThe tongue is unique to every person with respect to its shape and surface textures. Since it is an internal organ, it can be easily exposed for inspection and the exposed surface carries the required information…In recent years, tongue print is gaining momentum as an important tool in biometric authentication.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n If there\u2019s an issue with your tongue health, chances are something is happening within your body that\u2019s causing it.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n For example, creamy white patches on your tongue could mean you have a fungal infection called thrush…<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Lichen planus is a skin condition involving the immune system that can also lead to white patches on the tongue\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hard, flat white patches that won\u2019t come off with regular brushing or scraping could be a sign of leukoplakia, a condition that\u2019s linked to cancer…<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Canker sores can occur if you accidentally bite your tongue or brush too hard\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n A smooth, bright red tongue accompanied by mouth pain could mean you\u2019re not getting enough vitamin B3 in your diet\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Raised, painful bumps can be a sign of <\/span>oral cancer<\/b><\/a>\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n And bad breath can be the result of poor dental hygiene.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n If any of these issues persist longer than two weeks, give your San Diego dentist a call as soon as possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the meantime, stay on the safe side and help prevent dental health concerns like these by cleaning your tongue every time you brush.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n As far as tongue-cleaning methods go, scraping is a perfectly suitable option to remove food debris and bacteria, but traditional brushing works just as well.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Whatever you do, just make sure you do it consistently. A healthy tongue promotes a healthy mouth!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n What`s next when you learn 6 Things You Never Knew About Your Tongue?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you live in San Diego, Dental Express offers premium family-friendly dental care at an affordable price.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n We make this dream a reality by working with each of our patients to accommodate their budget and provide the dental care they need to enjoy a healthy smile.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for top-notch care with a team that feels like family, <\/span>give us a call<\/b><\/a> for more information or <\/span>schedule an appointment<\/b><\/a> online today.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n How Your Dental Health Affects Your Overall Health<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Is Chewing Gum Good or Bad for Your Teeth?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n How to Easily Identify and Prevent Oral Cancer<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n1. Your tongue is just as vulnerable to bacteria as your teeth<\/span><\/h2>\n
2. Got bad breath? Tongue scraping isn\u2019t any better than brushing<\/span><\/h2>\n
3. It\u2019s not \u201ca\u201d muscle<\/span><\/h2>\n
4. Things can get \u201chairy\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
5. You have a \u201ctongue print\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n
6. Your tongue health is a window to your oral and overall health<\/span><\/h2>\n
For You, About You Dentistry \u2013 Without Breaking the Bank<\/span><\/h2>\n
Keep Reading<\/span><\/h2>\n