A mouthful of facts

What does the tongue say about you? 12 clues hidden in our mouth!

Image: Clem Onojeghuo

Our mouths do so much more than help us chat, chew, and chuckle. This hardworking part of the body is home to a whole host of weird, wonderful, and sometimes wacky facts. From surprising saliva stats to your teeth’s secret life, a lot is going on behind your smile. And the best part? You don’t need a medical degree to appreciate these bite-sized bits of trivia. Let’s sink our teeth into some fascinating mouth facts!

Image: Nick Fewings

Taste buds are important, but without saliva, your taste buds wouldn't be able to detect much of anything. Saliva helps break down food particles and dissolve the chemicals that make up flavors, sending them to your taste receptors. That’s why food tastes bland when you're dehydrated. Hydration equals better flavor!

Image: Joey Nicotra

Believe it or not, the inside of your mouth is teeming with life. Wanna hear the numbers? Around 8 billion bacteria live there! That’s roughly the population of the entire planet, all crammed into your smile.

Most of these microbes are harmless, and some are even helpful. But when they get out of balance, that’s when things like cavities and gum disease can set in. Brushing and flossing aren’t just cosmetic, they help keep the peace in this microscopic community.

Image: Diana Polekhina

This might surprise you, but skipping floss can affect more than just your gums. Studies have shown a strong link between poor oral health and major diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and even osteoporosis.

Inflammation from gum disease may contribute to problems in other parts of your body. Your mouth is like a window into your overall health, and red flags here could signal trouble elsewhere. Keep the dental checkups going! Your whole body benefits when your mouth is in top shape.

Image: Brian Matangelo

Taking a dip in the pool is refreshing, but make sure you keep your mouth closed. Chlorine, used to disinfect pool water, can be tough on your teeth.

Frequent exposure may weaken enamel and lead to increased tooth sensitivity. That means swimmers, especially those doing laps daily, should be extra cautious. If you’re one of them, just know rinsing with clean water after a swim can help wash away any residue.

Image: Caroline LM

Plaque isn’t just a little fuzzy feeling on your teeth, it’s a mix of bacteria, food particles, and saliva. If left alone, it hardens into tartar, which only a dentist can remove.

Plaque is the main cause of gum disease and cavities. Brushing twice a day and flossing help kick it to the curb. Mouthwash can give an extra layer of protection, too.

Image: Fernanda Greppe

Of all the muscles in your body, the tongue is the only one that doesn’t need skeletal support to do its job. It’s a muscular marvel that helps with speaking, swallowing, and tasting. Despite its flexibility, it’s incredibly strong for its size.

Plus, no two tongues are the same; each has a unique print, just like fingerprints. Bet you didn’t know your tongue was such a multitasker!

Image: Kamal Hoseinianzade

You might only see the top two-thirds of your teeth, but the rest is hiding below the gumline. That hidden portion includes the roots, which anchor your teeth in place. Healthy gums are essential for keeping this foundation strong.

Gum disease can cause that support to weaken, leading to tooth loss over time. So yes, we said it one too many times, but flossing is about way more than fresh breath. A deep clean leads to a deep-rooted smile.

Image: Na visky

Green tea is full of powerful antioxidants and natural antibacterial agents. These can help reduce inflammation in your gums and keep harmful bacteria at bay. Studies suggest it may even lower your risk of periodontal disease.

Unlike sugary drinks, it doesn’t feed the bacteria that cause decay. And it’s a pretty soothing way to wind down after a meal. Swap one of your daily cups of joe for green tea, and your mouth will thank you.

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You’ve got about 10,000 taste buds scattered around your mouth, but most live on your tongue. They detect sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami flavors, working together like a culinary orchestra.

Now, here’s the fascinating fact: Taste buds regenerate every 10 to 14 days, so you’re always getting a fresh batch. However, aging, smoking, and illness can dull your sense of taste over time.

Image: Lesly Juarez

Just like fingerprints, no two people have the exact same set of teeth. Their size, shape, alignment, and even bite pattern are all uniquely yours. That’s why dental records are so helpful in forensics.

Your teeth are part of your identity, and once you lose them, they don’t grow back. Protecting them is a lifelong investment!

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Get ready for this one: The average person produces over 37,000 liters of saliva in a lifetime. That’s enough to fill two entire swimming pools!

Saliva plays a vital role in digestion, taste, and keeping your mouth clean. It helps neutralize acids and wash away food particles, protecting against decay. Without it, your mouth would be a desert. Yes, this fact was kind of gross, but equally helpful!

Image: Nik

Over the course of a lifetime, the average person spends 38.5 days brushing their teeth. That’s more than a month with nothing but you, your toothbrush, and the mirror.

It may sound like a lot, but your smile’s worth every second, don’t you think? Regular brushing keeps plaque away, prevents bad breath, and saves you from future dental bills. Just keep brushing, you’re doing mouth maintenance like a pro!

10 weird historical events that no one has been able to explain (yet)

Image: Walters Art Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Who doesn't like a good mystery? And if the mystery isn’t a work of fiction but the result of a true story, even better! The great unsolved enigmas of history are absolutely fascinating. Some have been solved over time, but there are still many old secrets for which neither scientists nor historians have found an explanation—yet. Time-travel with us as we uncover 10 of the biggest historical mysteries that will probably never be cracked!

Image: Tanner, Henry S., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Bermeja Island is mentioned in navigation texts written by European travelers and appears in cartography from the 16th to 19th centuries. Old maps place it off the north coast of the Yucatán Peninsula; however, multiple searches over the years have yielded no concrete evidence of its existence.

So, what happened to Isla Bermeja? Was it a cartographic error? Did it sink due to a tidal wave? Because of its geopolitical significance, some have even suggested that it was blown up by the CIA! A 2009 study by the Autonomous University of Mexico concluded that Isla Bermeja does not exist today, nor were any traces found at its supposed coordinates. Yet, it will forever remain a mystery that will surely keep many entertained.

Image: Credit: Big Ear Radio Observatory and North American AstroPhysical Observatory (NAAPO)., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In 1977, Ohio State University’s Big Ear radio telescope, used in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, detected a signal now known as the Wow! signal. While reviewing the data, astronomer Jerry R. Ehman noticed a sequence represented as "6EQUJ5." Baffled by the anomaly, he circled it and wrote "Wow!" in the margins.

The signal lasted 72 seconds and, unfortunately, has never been repeated. To this day, no one can fully explain the phenomenon, although some suggest it may have come from a man-made source. Still, the Wow! signal remains one of the strongest candidates for potential extraterrestrial contact ever detected.

Image: Edward S. Curtis, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

How is it possible for an entire village to vanish without a trace? Believe it or not, this is said to have happened nearly a century ago. According to lore, a small Inuit village in Canada was well known among fur trappers who visited regularly to trade. But in 1930, something very strange supposedly occurred.

A hunter named Joe Labelle claimed he visited the village one day and couldn’t find a single person. Reports said there were guns and food left behind, and even claims that the graves in the cemetery were empty. A thorough investigation, however, found no conclusive evidence of what happened to the villagers. Some witnesses from nearby towns even reported seeing a huge green light. Theories ranged from mass migration to extraterrestrial abductions. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has since dismissed the case as an urban legend. Some still believe the story to be true.

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We know thousands of shipwreck stories, but this one is quite unique. The MV Joyita, designed to be nearly unsinkable, was found adrift in the South Pacific, practically unharmed, but the crew had disappeared completely.

In October 1955, the American merchant vessel left the port of Apia in Samoa with 16 crew members and 9 passengers bound for the Tokelau Islands. After days without news, a rescue mission was launched. Five weeks later, the Joyita was spotted more than 600 miles west of its intended route. The vessel was partially submerged, and there was no sign of the passengers or crew. Four tons of cargo and all three life rafts were missing. They were never seen again.

Image: Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Do you know where one of the best-preserved mummies was found? Hint: not in Egypt. Xin Zhui, the Marquise of Dai during the Western Han Dynasty in China, was discovered in her tomb at Mawangdui 2,000 years after her death, along with hundreds of valuable documents and artifacts.

What makes this mummy so extraordinary is how well-preserved her body is. Her organs and veins remain intact, and she still has hair and even eyelashes. Scientists analyzed the fluid present in the coffin and discovered it was acidic and contained salt and magnesium. They believe this mysterious liquid may have been responsible for preserving Xin Zhui so well. What they don’t know is whether it was intentionally poured into the coffin or came from the body itself.

Image: Yoichi Okamoto, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The United States has its fair share of presidents who died while in office, but none of our 45 presidents have ever disappeared without a trace. Did you know that this actually happened in The Land Down Under?

Harold Edward Holt was the Prime Minister of Australia from 1966 until his presumed death in 1967. He loved the ocean and spearfishing. During a weekend trip with friends, Holt visited the remote Cheviot Beach to take a swim. Rough sea conditions that day caused him to be swept away by the waves, and he never reappeared. Despite an intensive search, his body was never found, which has given rise to numerous conspiracy theories. Ironically, Australians built the Harold Holt Memorial Swimming Centre in Melbourne in his honor.

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Many famous criminals have managed to remain unidentified for decades, but the D.B. Cooper case is something else entirely. In 1971, Cooper boarded a flight from Portland to Seattle. Shortly after takeoff, he showed a flight attendant a device he claimed was a bomb and demanded four parachutes and $200,000 in cash.

The crew landed to meet Cooper’s demands in exchange for the passengers and then took off again. As the plane flew over southwestern Washington, Cooper jumped into the cold, rainy night carrying his haul. His whereabouts and true identity were never discovered, although it is likely he didn’t survive the jump. In 1980, some of the ransom money was found near the Columbia River. Although the FBI officially closed the case in 2016, amateur sleuths continue to try to crack it.

Image: Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Can you imagine an epidemic where the main symptom is uncontrollable dancing? Sounds like science fiction, doesn’t it? Yet this really happened during the Middle Ages. In 1518, a dancing plague struck Strasbourg, Alsace, in what is now France. This strange condition affected up to 400 people, making them dance frantically for weeks. It is said that some even died of heart attacks, exhaustion, or strokes.

Doctors and authorities tried all kinds of measures to stop the spread. They even banned music for a while! To this day, scientists are not certain what caused this bizarre condition: it may have been food poisoning from toxins in the ergot fungus, or perhaps a case of stress-induced mass hysteria.

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The Voynich manuscript is a codex written roughly 500 years ago in an unknown language and writing system by an anonymous author. Known as Voynichese, the manuscript was named after Wilfrid Voynich, a Polish bibliophile and antiquarian who purchased it in 1912.

Radiocarbon testing has shown that it dates to the early 15th century. Many cryptographers and codebreakers have attempted to decipher its roughly 240 pages without success. The manuscript contains diagrams and illustrations of unknown plants and astrological symbols. Some believe it may be a made-up language, a secret code, a work of fiction, or even a hoax. If you think you can solve this mystery, the Voynich manuscript is available for viewing at Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.

Image: Bernhard

Similar to the Voynich manuscript, the Phaistos Disc is a fired clay disc believed to have been created during the Bronze Age. It was discovered by an Italian archaeologist in the basement of a palace in Crete, Greece, in 1908.

What makes this disc fascinating is that it contains a mysterious message. Stamped into the clay is a set of signs, forming a text that many scientists have tried to decipher—without success. It is considered an early attempt at printing, a technological innovation that would not become widespread for several centuries. While enthusiasts still hope the enigma can be solved, this is unlikely unless other documents are discovered to provide context.