Hi friends,

Your tongue... not just for eating and speaking!

As a muscle, it's part of your deep front fascial line, which means it's connected to your feet, heart, belly button, and more. Any time you move any part of your body, your tongue is also moving (well, hopefully), even if you are not chewing, speaking, or making those funny faces your mom said would become permanent.

At any given moment, its posture or specific location within your oral cavity can be different - sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. Typically, the tip of the tongue fixes itself on a certain part of your oral cavity, the oral frenulum attaches it to the oral floor, while the muscle of the tongue moves like the fabric of a ship's sail.

It might also have something to say about your perceptions regarding communication and being heard by others.

Other fun tongue facts:

• The tongue is considered to be the "royal road" to the brain and the most sensitive organ in the body.

• There are 48 different types of sensory receptors on the tongue, and 15,000 to 50,00 nerve fibers on the tip of the tongue alone. The tongue has about 10,000 taste buds, but those with more are known as "Super-Tasters".

• There are 2 cranial nerves associated with the tongue that connect it directly to the brain stem, the part of your brain that "decides" if the incoming information indicates a parasympathetic or sympathetic response is most appropriate for the given moment.

• Everyone has their own unique tongue print. I doubt we will start using tongue scanners instead of fingerprints to identify you, however. But the next time you commit a crime, maybe don't lick anything. Just in case.

• "Cat got your tongue": One theory suggests this saying originates from using a “cat-o’-nine-tails,” a type of whip used for punishment in the Royal Navy. The pain was so severe that it left the victims speechless. Another theory links it to ancient Egyptian mythology, where liars’ tongues were cut out and fed to cats. Yikes!

• Can you roll your tongue? Apparently, it's no longer considered genetic but rather a learned skill.

• The average tongue is 3-4" long. Does size matter?

Onwards, Amy