Contents:
- Medical Video: 20+ Weird Human Body Facts You Didn't Know 10 Minutes Ago
- Some facts about the tongue
- 1. Average tongue length of 8.5 cm
- 2. The average adult has 2000-4000 taste buds
- 3. The tongue is not the strongest muscle
- 4. Healthy or not your body can be seen from the tongue
- 5. The tongue has no special area of taste
Medical Video: 20+ Weird Human Body Facts You Didn't Know 10 Minutes Ago
Everyday, a body part called tongue has an important role that is useful to help the body to eat, swallow, and talk. In fact, whatever food you try to swallow, it will not be able to enter the throat without the help of the tongue. Then what are the facts about the tongue that must be known? Let's look at the explanation below.
Some facts about the tongue
1. Average tongue length of 8.5 cm
For those of you who like to measure the length of the tongue, do you know that the tongue is measured from the fold of cartilage (epiglottis) on the tip of the inner tongue? Yes, from the base of the throat to the tip of the tongue, the length of the tongue is measured.
The average tongue length of an adult male is 3.3 inches (8.5 cm), and the average tongue length of an adult woman is 3.1 inches (7.9 cm). According to Guinness World of Records, someone in America named Nick Stoeberl has the longest tongue with a size of 3.97 inches or about 10.1 cm and he becomes a human with the longest tongue today.
2. The average adult has 2000-4000 taste buds
Why is there a large number of small nodules on the surface of the tongue? In fact, the nodules are called taste buds with a total number that reaches 2000 to 4000 nodules on each tongue. In the taste buds there are sensory cells that function to feel common flavors such as sour, sweet, spicy, salty to bitter.
A study revealed that the number of nodules on the tongue reached 10 thousand. In biological terms, those who have more than 10,000 pieces of nodules are called "supertasters" or those with super taste. Meanwhile, those with less than 10 thousand taste buds are called "non-tasters". Age of taste buds usually only lasts 14 days and the body will immediately replace them with new ones.
3. The tongue is not the strongest muscle
The tongue is indeed an organ that is almost entirely a muscle. Therefore, the tongue is very flexible, so it can help you eat, talk, and breathe. The tongue muscles are also never tired. But, that does not mean that the tongue is the strongest muscle that humans have. The strongest muscle in the human body is in fact still won by the heart.
4. Healthy or not your body can be seen from the tongue
Healthy tongues are easily bright pink or red. Therefore, changes in color and texture on your tongue can be a determinant of health. Deep red tongue, usually always associated with swelling and can be a sign that you are experiencing sore throat. Meanwhile, the white color on the tongue indicates a high fever or fungal infection. In addition, a tongue that is smooth and pale is a sign that you lack essential minerals and vitamin B12.
5. The tongue has no special area of taste
During this time you will be sure and believe that the tongue has a different place or area to taste sour, salty, sweet and sweet. Even though the tongue only acts to stimulate the brain as a determinant of taste. All the flavors from the food you swallow, are spread evenly on the taste buds. So, it's actually the brain that sorts out the taste and tells the tongue about how you feel.
