How much do we really know about our mouths? The mouth is one of the most interesting parts of the human body and is made up of so many complex elements that there are many facts surrounding it! Read up on these fun facts below, because the mouth is really a lot more than teeth, gums, a tongue, and lips!
Just at the tip of my tongue
Did you know that the tongue is the only muscle in the entire body to be attached at only one end? (Did you even know it was a muscle?) Perhaps even more interesting than that is the fact that every tongue is different and unique. The tongue is basically the fingerprint of the mouth. Shall we compare tongue prints?
But what about the taste buds? The tongue actually has about 50 to 100 taste cells per taste bud. The average person has about 10,000 taste buds, which makes an average of about 750,000 taste cells per tongue! Pretty incredible.
Bare your teeth
Perhaps one of the most surprising facts is that the enamel on your teeth is the hardest thing in the entire body! Enamel is also a main part of the crown of the tooth (which is the visible part) that we see in the mouth. The crown is made up of three smaller parts: the enamel, dentin, and pulp. Dentin is the cream colored material under the enamel, while the pulp contains the nerves and blood vessels of the tooth.
For most people, wisdom teeth are painful to have removed. For some people, the wisdom teeth do not actually develop fully; and therefore do not have to be removed. Wisdom teeth also fall in to the type of teeth known as molars, which are used for the final breakdown of food before swallowing.
There are four types of teeth in total: the incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. Incisors are responsible for the initial cutting and biting of food. Canines assist in this process and are the sharpest teeth in the mouth that tear and shred food. Premolars then breakdown the food further before the food moves to the molars that complete the mashing of food before swallowing.
About those gums
Did you know that our gums are actually tightly attached to the underlying bone? Their main purpose is to protect teeth, but they can be very sensitive.
Brushing your teeth does not only help your teeth themselves but also keeps your gums healthy! The gums are a large breeding ground for bacteria to grow, especially in the gum pockets and the spaces between the teeth. Flossing helps prevent bacteria growth also.
Button up those lips
Did you know that the lips are actually the most sensitive part of the entire body? This is also why they get their rosy color, because the blood vessels are so close to the skin surface there. If you’ve had a cut lip, you know how sensitive they can be.
Lips do not have any glands or hair in order to regulate their moisture. This is why we can get chapped lips and even see them dry out and get flaky.
We take our mouth, tongue, teeth and gums for granted. Imagine no taste buds, or no teeth! From why we have gums to why we get chapped lips, there is an endless amount of information about the mouth and all its parts!
