Buzz
Among all the various organs in the human body, none are as intriguingly repulsive and strangely charming as the mouth. What hidden wonders lie within our teeth, gums, tongue, and saliva that we don't fully understand? Get ready to sink your teeth into these 10 captivatingly gross facts about the human mouth.
10. Saliva Can Actually Break Down Parts of Us
Saliva, the slimy, watery liquid that covers your mouth, plays a multitude of roles. Primarily, it's designed to protect your oral organs from drying out and aids in the process of digestion.
This function is thanks to an enzyme called amylase, which plays a key role in breaking down carbohydrates—an essential chemical component found in many foods and, strangely, in parts of our own bodies.
So essentially, if you toss a spitball at someone, it could potentially break down a part of their head. Even if it’s just a small section of it.
9. Teeth Are Composed of the Toughest Material in the Body
Try smashing your teeth. Go ahead. Take a swing at them.
Hold on! Before you go ahead, take a moment. If you’ve already made that mistake, you might notice that, despite the messy blood around your lips, your teeth are still in one piece. This is thanks to enamel, the hardest substance in the human body, and arguably one of the most durable materials on Earth.
This explains why dental tools often resemble small, high-powered machinery, capable of only the slightest denting of our teeth despite their strength.
8. The Tongue: A Marvelous Blend of Four Muscles
Muscles are the flesh-bound engines that move our rigid skeletons, and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Among them, the tongue stands out as one of the most intricate and specialized muscles in the human body.
In fact, the tongue is made up of four distinct muscles, each serving a unique purpose. Together, these muscles coordinate to create a range of sophisticated movements required for speaking, eating, and swallowing.
Like any muscle in the body, the tongue can be trained. It is the foundation of phonetics practice, language drills, and other movements learned through specific exercises.
7. The Mouth: An Extension of Our Eyes and Nose
Imagine your math teacher—the terrifying one. While we might picture her as a monstrous entity with a single, gaping mouth, it's worth reflecting on the reality: the human mouth is intricately linked to both the nose and the eyes.
While it may seem possible to transfer a marble from one orifice to another, that's quite a stretch. It's more accurate to say that these parts of the body are connected by a complex network of glands, tubes, and openings. These pathways ultimately lead to two primary systems: the digestive system, which channels into the stomach, and the respiratory system, which leads to the windpipe.
Before hurling insults, remember that deep down, we’re all the same peculiar beings.
6. Saliva: A Form of Filtered Blood
Saliva is produced unconsciously and automatically. We all know that certain foods or situations can cause us to salivate more. But what is the exact process behind its creation?
Not only is the process of saliva production incredibly intricate, but it’s also derived from our body's most vital fluid—blood. As blood flows into the many glands scattered across our face, the plasma (the liquid portion of blood) gets filtered and eventually transformed into saliva.
This transformation happens within specialized cells in the saliva glands that reabsorb certain components of the plasma while allowing others to pass into the final product. Add to that the numerous mucous glands in the mouth, and you get a rather sticky result.
5. The Tongue: Covered in Thousands of Taste Buds
Think about those bizarre movies where monsters crawl out from under the bed to devour you. Well, in a much less terrifying, M. Night Shyamalan way, we are all a bit like that. Our tongues are covered in thousands of taste buds, with the average adult having just over 10,000 buds on the upper surface of their tongue.
These tiny structures appear as small bumps on the surface of the tongue, but under a microscope, they more closely resemble mushrooms with nerve endings running through their tops. Over time, these nerve endings gradually die off, causing us to lose some of our sensitivity to taste.
This explains why older individuals tend to have smaller appetites, while younger children are more drawn to simpler, sweeter flavors. So enjoy those Mars bars while you can—just don’t forget about the cavities!
4. There’s Now a Fifth Taste Category
Think fast—what are the basic taste categories? Sweet, salty, sour, and bitter, right? Spicy doesn't really qualify as a taste, though, since it's more of a sensation of heat rather than an actual flavor.
No other taste, you ask? Well, at the turn of the 20th century, Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda identified a fifth taste category, which he named umami (meaning 'savory'). This particular taste is most strongly triggered by monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is why MSG remains a key ingredient in much modern Asian cuisine and fast food.
So, the next time you indulge in sukiyaki, just remember: it's not salty, it's umami!
3. The Mouth Is Primarily Composed of Muscles
What exactly makes up the mouth? Aside from the skeletal structure of the skull and lower jaw, it's quite astonishing to realize that the mouth is essentially a series of muscles, all held together by skin and membranes.
A quick peek into an anatomy textbook will reveal that these muscles contribute significantly to the shape of our faces. Each muscle plays a specific role in the movements of our mouth—whether it’s for blowing, whistling, chewing, or even pouting.
So, the old saying—'Make that face, and it’ll stay that way'—has some truth to it. If the muscles and jaw are locked in a certain position, as in cases of lockjaw or dislocation, getting them back into place with a doctor's help certainly won’t be something to laugh about.
2. Our Mouths Are Among the Most Unhygienic Parts of the Body
We all like to think our mouths are nice and clean. After all, we weren’t constantly reminded to brush our teeth, floss, and use mouthwash as kids for no reason, right?
Our mouths are where food enters, and we often think they’re clean, so what’s the real issue?
Actually, you’re completely mistaken. The mouth is one of the most bacteria-laden parts of the body, following only the genital tract, where urine exits, and the intestinal tract, where waste is expelled.
However, this doesn’t mean it's entirely harmful. Our mouths host hundreds of bacterial species, many of which live there without causing harm. If harmful bacteria do enter, these 'good' bacteria quickly overpower them, starving them out and preventing illness.
Yet, if these beneficial bacteria spread to other parts of the body—like the skin from a bite or into the lungs if saliva is inhaled—there's a risk of infection.
1. Smell is a Key Component of Taste
Have you ever experienced the discomfort of sipping chicken soup when you're down with the flu and have a stuffy nose? It's hardly enjoyable, right? Regardless of how much salt, pepper, or chicken broth you add, the soup tends to turn into a bland, watery mixture that's almost like a soggy cotton ball in liquid form.
This happens because much of what we perceive as taste actually depends on our sense of smell. While the tongue houses most of the nerve endings for the basic sensations of taste, the majority of what we experience as 'flavor' is shaped by our nose in a far more significant way.
As food enters our mouths, a good portion of it transforms into a fine mist that rises to our nasal passages. This vapor carries the spices and aromas from the food, stimulating the receptors in our nose, blending those sensory signals with what our taste buds detect. Together, they create a vibrant explosion of flavor and sensation.
