DENTAL SPEAK : Besides cleaning the tongue one should hold it in check

What you need to know:

  • There is no relationship between loquacity and the size of tongue. There is no scientific evidence that the size of tongue determines the acerbity of expressions of a person or his mellifluosity. Needless to say, tongue is that organ which if not restrained fires a volley of words which can ‘maim’ anyone.

The tongue takes the ventral space of the mouth and oropharynx. It is occupied with the preparation of morsel, grooming, lapping and manipulating food in the oral cavity. Its involvement with deglutition and vocalization is pronounced. The apex of the tongue is capable of lateral, vertical and outward thrusts. Anyone of sound mind will vouch for the fact that it is uncouth to make faces with the tongue extruded.

There is no relationship between loquacity and the size of tongue. There is no scientific evidence that the size of tongue determines the acerbity of expressions of a person or his mellifluosity. Needless to say, tongue is that organ which if not restrained fires a volley of words which can ‘maim’ anyone.

Most of the wars have been fought because those entrusted with the task of negotiating peace carried on spouting retort and rhetoric with their unbridled tongues. The bacteria acting on the substratum of particles of food on the tongue bring about the play of decomposition products. A tongue that is laden with muciginous substance appears weird.

“Do you clean your tongue?” was the question that was posed in a random survey to 18 patients. Only five patients stated, “Yes”. This clearly indicates that while there is propensity toward brushing, tongue cleaning is disregarded. In Latin the tongue is referred to as the lingua. If English is to be the lingua franca of the world it is supposed to mean that English could be a bridge language that could be used to communicate between people who do not share a native language or dialect. For that to be brought about people of various tongues will have to be suffused with human and cultural values which transcend the notion of hegemony.

The four common tastes are sweet, sour, bitter and salty. There are specific areas on the tongue that detect the taste or flavour of food. There are small nodules called the papillae, which form the top surface of the tongue. These give the tongue a rough texture. Between the papillae at the sides and the base of tongue are small bulblike structures called the tastebuds. The taste buds enable one to enjoy the food. They also warn us of the foods which are unfit to eat. Sweet receptors abound around the tip of the tongue. A child’s preference to lick something that is sweet instead of chewing it is a testimony to this. The sides of the tongue have sour receptors. Receptors which detect salty taste are around the tip and upper front portion of the tongue. Receptors which detect bitter taste are situated toward the back of the tongue.

The average adult has approximately 9,000 taste buds on each surface of the tongue, roof of the mouth and throat. It is said that food is an avenue to the heart of a person. It is the delicious taste of a of the a dish that elevates the status of the host or hostess in the eyes of their friends. A family was eating in an expensive restaurant. Around the table was a five-year-old lad with his dad and mum. Thoroughly dissatisfied with the taste of food the lad’s father angrily asked the waitress to pack the leftovers for their dog. At this point of time the lad exclaimed,” Whoopee! We’re going to get a dog “. The tasteless food had made the parent utter a lie. In case if he had had a dog it would have been construed as unfair if he had dumped the food to it. Food that is not palatable for a person often disorients him.

A person after a thorough brushing of his teeth needs to focus next on his tongue. The tool for cleaning the tongue is the toothbrush with soft bristles. The tongue harbours bacteria and food particles under a thin layer of mucus. This is responsible for odour causing build up. A pea-sized toothpaste should be applied to the bristles. The top of the tongue should be gently and carefully swiped. The beginning can be made at the back of the tongue. One can then work forward to the tip of the tongue. The entire top surface of the tongue has to be brushed with gentle pressure. This is then completed with a rinse of water. A tongue scrapper is another useful adjunct for cleaning the tongue. Made of pliable soft plastic, the scrapper is wiped across the top surface care being taken that excessive force is not used as it would induce bleeding. It is a good practice to clean the scrapper with a flow of warm water after every swipe.

According to Israelmore Ayivor, “ Words can be medicines; they can also be poisons .Words can heal; they can also kill…it all depends on how, when and where they are used and against whom! Let us not abuse our words. It’s a misuse of the tongue!

Dr K.S.Gupta is a dental surgeon with a private clinical dental practise