Our modern society has many ways to uniquely identify a person. One of the most common ways is through fingerprint testing. Iris scanning is a recent addition to identity tests. DNA tests are used in criminal trials as factors that establish a defendant's guilt or innocence based on the results of the DNA tests. One lesser-known way of uniquely-identifying a person is through a tongue print. Though it is not a widely-known fact, each person's tongue is different.
Factors That Make a Tongue Print Unique
The first fact that makes one tongue different from another is the shape. Factors such as size and width vary from person to person. Another factor is the texture of the tongue. The combination of ridges, marks, wrinkles, and seams on the tongue form a pattern that makes for a tongue print that is unlike the tongue print of any other person. There are studies in progress that might one day permit scientists to use the bacteria on the tongue as a third factor to positively identify a person.
Additional Facts about the Human Tongue
Each papillae – the bumps on our tongue – contains the taste buds on our tongue, and the tongue has roughly 8,000 taste buds. The human mouth has 2,000 more taste buds on the lips, under the tongue, and inside the cheeks. The traditional tongue map is incorrect, as taste buds can sense five types of taste: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. The tongue is not the strongest muscle in the human body, but it is the most flexible muscle. The tongue loses its ability to sense taste when it is dry. And tongues can only taste particles that dissolve in water. If you have questions or concerns about your tongue, call our office for a consultation and an exam.
Dentist Tigard, OR | Dental Blog - Lincoln Center Smiles Dr. Saklofsky has created an educational blog as a resource for our patients. If you like an article or the dental blog in general please share it to social media, then call (971) 317-9499 to make an appointment. Lincoln Center Smiles, 10500 SW Greenburg Rd, Suite 3, Portland, OR 97223-1406 | (503) 598-0898 | sakdental.com | 9/4/2024 | Related Terms: dentist Tigard OR |