Did you know that your tongue plays an integral part in many oral functions? Your tongue assists with eating, swallowing, and pronouncing words correctly. Although the tongue is important, we tend to neglect it during our oral hygiene routines. Our team at Dr. Linden Steven's office in Norco CA offer some interesting tongue facts.
The Functions of the Tongue
Without your tongue it would be very difficult to grind, chew, and swallow food. The front half of your tongue is very flexible. When you eat, the flexible portion of your tongue moves food throughout your mouth to your teeth. Less flexible, the back part of your tongue moves food to the esophagus for swallowing. Your tongue also plays a vital role in pronunciation. For example, you would be unable to enunciate words with the letter “L” if the tip of your tongue didn’t touch the roof of your mouth when speaking.
The Importance of Taste Buds
Your tongue is covered with thousands of taste buds. In fact, the tongue houses 90% of the taste buds in your mouth. The remaining taste buds rest on the palate and insides of your cheeks. On average, a person has 2,000 to 8,000 taste buds. Taste buds detect flavors such as sweet, salty, bitter, and sour. After taste bud receptors detect flavors, they then relay signals to the brain through ion channels.
Bacteria and Your Tongue
Did you know that almost half of the bacteria in your mouth rest on your tongue? Bacterial buildup on the tongue is actually the primary source of halitosis (bad breath). To keep bad breath at bay, we encourage patients to brush their tongues thoroughly when they brush their teeth. Tongue scrapers are also beneficial tools for keeping the tongue healthy and clean.
Your Tongue and Oral Cancer
The tongue is one of the three most common sites where oral cancers develop. Oral cancers typically form on the lateral border of the tongue (the left and right sides). If you notice any suspicious changes such as lumps, discolorations, or sores that do not heal within two weeks, schedule an oral examination with Dr. Stevens immediately. If you suffer from bad breath, our cosmetic and restorative dentist, Dr. Stevens provides professional breath control. For questions or to schedule an appointment at our Norco CA dental office, contact Dr.Stevens in Norco CA at:
(951) 735-4110 and be sure to visit our website for more great dental information at: http://www.beautifulsmilesdds.com/
http://www.BeautifulSmilesDDS.com
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