Interesting and little-known facts about the language
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Language is an organ very useful and not just for talking. It turns out that our muscular organ, which is in the mouth (and the language is exactly what it is), can surprise us with some facts about ourselves.
What is language?
The tongue is a muscular organ that consists of 16 muscles, covered with a mucous membrane. When a person sleeps, his tongue is still in constant motion, and the whole bloodline is pierced by blood vessels.
What is in the language?
Our language is able to distinguish between tastes, thanks to which we can enjoy food, and the taste buds help it in this: threadlike ones are responsible for tactile receptors and touch; mushroom-shaped help to distinguish salty taste; leafy - sour. Also on the tongue there are roll-shaped papillae responsible for the taste.
Language of the newborn
The tongue for the baby is just a vital organ, because with its help babies can suck milk. By the way, it is interesting that newborns know what no adult can do: they can simultaneously suck, swallow and breathe.
How do we distinguish tastes?
On the tongue are taste buds, which send a signal to the brain as soon as they get food. Thanks to such cooperation of language and brain, we also feel the taste of food. By the way, women were lucky more than men. They have more papillae, which allows them to distinguish more shades of taste.
Hunger
It turns out that the more the papillae on the surface of the tongue, the less often a person feels hunger. If the papillae are small, then a person constantly wants to eat because of the fact that he does not perceive food properly.
Language protects us from danger
It is thanks to the ability to taste the tastes that our language helps us selectively approach the choice of food, rejecting the expired and useless to the use, protecting us from poisoning.
Language is involved in digestion
Once the solid food gets to us on the tongue, the glands of the papillae begin to dissolve it.
Language - indicator of health
The color of the language can say a lot about human health. Pink tongue, which is not plaque, speaks of well-being in the digestive system.