Tongue | Description & Facts (2024)

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Taste buds

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taste bud
dorsum
lingual papilla
frenulum linguae
foliate papilla

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tongue, in most vertebrates, an organ, capable of various muscular movements, located on the floor of the mouth. In some animals (e.g., frogs) it is elongated and adapted to capturing insect prey. The tongues of certain reptiles function primarily as sensory organs, whereas cats and some other mammals use their tongues as instruments for grooming and cleaning. In mammals the tongue aids in creating negative pressure within the oral cavity that enables sucking, and it is an important accessory organ in chewing and swallowing; it is also a major bearer of taste buds and, in humans, an aid to speech.

The mammalian tongue consists of a mass of interwoven, striated muscles interspaced with glands and fat and covered with mucous membrane. In humans the front tips and margins of the tongue usually touch the teeth, aiding in swallowing and speech. The top surface, or dorsum, contains numerous projections of the mucous membrane called papillae. They contain taste buds, which are sensitive to chemical constituents of food, and serous glands that secrete some of the fluid in saliva, a substance that moistens the oral cavity and helps lubricate food particles. The base, or upper rear portion, of the tongue has no papillae, but aggregated lymphatic tissue (lingual tonsils) and serous and mucus-secreting glands are present. The inferior, or under, surface leads from the tip of the tongue to the floor of the mouth; its mucous membrane is smooth, devoid of papillae, and purple in colour from the many blood vessels present. The root, the remainder of the underside that lies on the mouth’s floor, contains bundles of nerves, arteries, and muscles that branch to the other tongue regions.

More From Britannicahuman digestive system: The tongue

An important function of the tongue is taste sensation, which is derived from taste receptor cells located in clusters within taste buds on the surface of the tongue. In humans there may be anywhere from 50 to 150 taste receptor cells within an individual taste bud. Taste buds are innervated by nerves that respond to chemicals from food in solution, thereby providing the sensation of taste. There are five fundamental taste sensations: salty, sweet, sour (acid), bitter, and umami, which represents the taste of amino acids. Each receptor cell is sensitive to a particular taste—for example, responding only to salt or only to umami. The total flavour of a food comes from the combination of taste, smell, touch, texture or consistency, and temperature sensations. Small taste buds situated on the tongue’s top surface transmit these flavour sensations to the nervous system.

Among the disorders to which the tongue is subject are cancer, leukoplakia (white patches), fungus infection, congenital defects, and a variety of symptoms caused by disease elsewhere in the body. Surgical removal of this organ makes speech and swallowing difficult.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Meg Matthias.

Tongue | Description & Facts (2024)

FAQs

Tongue | Description & Facts? ›

Your tongue is mostly made of muscles. It's anchored inside of your mouth by webs of strong tissue and it's covered by mucosa (a moist, pink lining that covers certain organs and body cavities). Your tongue is also covered with different types of papillae

papillae
Lingual papillae ( sg. : papilla) are small structures on the upper surface of the tongue that give it its characteristic rough texture. The four types of papillae on the human tongue have different structures and are accordingly classified as circumvallate (or vallate), fungiform, filiform, and foliate.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Lingual_papillae
(bumps) and taste buds.

What are some amazing facts about tongue? ›

The tongue is the only muscle in the body that works without the support from a skeleton, but it isn't the strongest muscle in the body. However, it is one of the most sensitive parts of the body, as it contains all the taste buds we need and most definitely want.

Why is the tongue special? ›

It is sensitive and kept moist by saliva and is richly supplied with nerves and blood vessels. The tongue also serves as a natural means of cleaning the teeth. A major function of the tongue is the enabling of speech in humans and vocalization in other animals.

What is significant about the tongue? ›

It is not only very flexible, allowing us to speak, swallow and suck in a coordinated way. It is also a sensory organ responsible for tasting, and the part of the body that is most sensitive to touch. What's more, the tongue contains many immune system cells, and even plays a major role in body language.

What is the rare thing with your tongue? ›

What About the Cloverleaf Tongue? If you can twist your tongue into a cloverleaf, you are gifted. It is one of the rarest tricks. According to a study published in the journal Dysphagia, 83.7% of the population could roll their tongue.

What is special about tongues? ›

Speaking in tongues is the supernatural language given by God to believers. Thus, it is the language of God's Spirit and His Kingdom. Speaking in tongues gives us spirit-to-spirit communication with God (Rom. 8:26-27).

What does a stress tongue look like? ›

Signs of your body undergoing excessive stress can show up on your tongue as unusual redness, sores, and ulcers. Also, if it appears to have marks around the edges, that could signify consistently biting it as a reaction to stress.

What does an unhealthy tongue look like? ›

A healthy tongue is typically pink in color, though it may vary slightly in dark and light shades. An unhealthy tongue, however, may be white, red, black, or yellow and may also be swollen and tender.

What can a doctor tell by looking at your tongue? ›

If any new lesions, masses, discolorations or irregular patches are noted on the tongue's surface, they may be signs of a bacterial or fungal infection, an immune deficiency or even a pre-cancerous condition. Coating. Tongue coating is complex because it can change based on diet.

What does the Bible say about the tongue? ›

Bible Verses About the Tongue: James 3:5-6 (NIV)

The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." This is one of the most powerful and stirring Bible verses about the tongue.

What is the gift of tongue? ›

The "gift of tongues" refers to a glossolalic utterance spoken by an individual and addressed to a congregation of, typically, other believers. "Praying in the spirit" is typically used to refer to glossolalia as part of personal prayer.

What does the tongue do to the brain? ›

When the nerves in your tongue receive signals from taste bud cells, they pass them on to more nerves and then more, sending the message racing out the back of your mouth, up through a tiny hole in your skull, and into your brain.

What is an amazing fact about the tongue? ›

It's the only muscle in the body that functions without help from your skeleton and is often considered the strongest (but most sensitive) muscle in the body. Much like a fingerprint, your tongue is unique to you. When brushing, it's important to keep your tongue clean to prevent bad breath and bacteria in your mouth.

What is the tongue spiritually? ›

Your tongue is a powerful tool (or weapon)

And Jesus himself said “It is not what enters the mouth that defiles the person, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles the person” (Matthew 15:11). Our tongues are powerful tools that can be used to build up or tear down.

What can a tongue symbolize? ›

The symbolism of the 'tongue' goes a level deeper as it is also seen as a reflection of one's inner state—physically, mentally, and spiritually. A healthy or unhealthy tongue could symbolize a person's general well-being or imply spiritual purity or corruption.

How is the tongue unique? ›

The Tongue's Unique Structure

Did you know that the tongue is the only muscle in the human body that is not connected to the skeleton? Tongue anatomy is composed of a group of muscles working together to facilitate various actions, such as swallowing, speaking, practicing tongue twisters, and, of course, tasting.

What is the special sense of the tongue? ›

Sweet, sour, salty, bitter and savory tastes can actually be sensed by all parts of the tongue. Only the sides of the tongue are more sensitive than the middle overall. This is true of all tastes – with one exception: the back of our tongue is very sensitive to bitter tastes.

What is a fun fact about tongue twisters? ›

Tongue twisters have been recommended for curing hiccups and for curing lisps and other speech defects. They are also used for testing the fit of dentures and for screening applicants for broadcasting positions.

What is a fact about tongue kissing? ›

The sensation when two tongues touch—also known as tongue touching—has been proven to stimulate endorphin release and reduce acute stress levels. Extended French kissing may be part of making out.

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