If the tongue appears, be careful of respiratory arrest

The tongue is one of the most familiar organs to people, and it is responsible for important functions such as speaking, chewing, swallowing and distinguishing tastes. But do people really understand it? An article published on Popular Health Network revealed "8 little-known secrets of the tongue".

1. The average tongue length is about 10 cm

According to the latest data from the Guinness World Records, the longest human tongue is 10.1 cm. It is measured with the tongue extended. In fact, if calculated from the root of the tongue to the tip of the tongue, the average length of a human tongue is about 10 cm.

2. The tongue has thousands of taste buds

A recent study in the United States found that the number of taste buds on a person's tongue can range from 2,000 to 10,000. Taste buds are renewed every 10 to 14 days.

3. Taste buds cannot be seen with the naked eye

Taste buds are invisible to the human eye. The small pink bumps that people can see on the tongue are medically called "lingual papillae."

On each tongue papilla, there is a bud-like thing called a taste bud.

4. “Different parts of the tongue experience different tastes” is a misunderstanding

It has long been believed that different parts of the tongue sense different tastes, hence the concept of a "taste map." In fact, this is a misunderstanding. Each part of the tongue can sense different tastes.

5. The ability to roll your tongue isn’t entirely genetic

Dr. John McDonald, professor of biological sciences at the University of Delaware, found that multiple research results show that the ability to roll the tongue is not a simple genetic trait, but is also affected by environmental factors.

6. The tongue is not the strongest muscle in the body

The tongue is not only very flexible, but also helps us perform activities such as speaking and eating. The tongue is made up of eight different muscles and rarely gets tired. But the tongue is not the strongest muscle in the human body. The jaw muscles exert the greatest pressure, the quadriceps and gluteus maximus are the strongest, and the cardiac muscles are generally the busiest.

7. Tongue color can reflect health status

A healthy tongue should be pink. Allergies and infections may cause glossitis, a condition in which the tongue becomes bright red and is accompanied by a fever and sore throat. According to the Mayo Clinic in the United States, white spots on the tongue and inside the mouth may be thrush.

8. People with thick tongues are at greater risk of sleep apnea

A recent study from the University of Pennsylvania found that people with higher fat content and larger tongues are at a relatively greater risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea.