Both segments of a bifurcated tongue are able to move independently, meaning that people with a split tongue have more manual dexterity -- which is said to be quite the benefit when it comes to kissing [source: Siegel].
Splitting may be reversed surgically by removal of sutures, excision of healed tissue on edges, and re-suturing the tongue together. Once healed, muscle control of the individual sides can be gained with practice if the split is sufficiently deep.
Tongue splitting, which involves cutting the tongue in half to create a lizard-like forked effect, has gained popularity among body modification enthusiasts. Experts say it can lead to complications such as significant blood loss, infection, nerve damage and problems with breathing and swallowing.
So more good news for you: It's totally reversible. In fact, if the exposed flesh isn't closed properly after the split (either with sutures or cauterization), your tongue will just go ahead and remerge on its own [source: Loftus].
It is concluded that the tongue split procedure did not significantly affect the participant's speech intelligibility and tongue motility.
Average Cost of Tongue splitting (in the U.S.)
The cost ranges from $1500 to $2500 when your procedure is performed by a trained medical professional.
Surgical resections alone create volumetric muscle loss whereby muscle tissue cannot self-regenerate within the tongue. In these cases, the tongue is reconstructed typically in the form of autologous skin flaps.
Fissured tongue occurs in approximately 5 percent of Americans. It may be evident at birth or develop during childhood. The exact cause of fissured tongue isn't known. However, it may sometimes occur in association with an underlying syndrome or condition, such as malnutrition or Down syndrome.
If you can twist your tongue into a cloverleaf, you are gifted. It is one of the rarest tricks. According to a study published in the journal Dysphagia, 83.7% of the population could roll their tongue.
And it's very possible to puncture a nerve during tongue-splitting. If this happens, you may experience a numb tongue, which is a sign of nerve damage. The injured nerve may affect your sense of taste, or how you move your mouth. And damage to the tongue's blood vessels can cause serious blood loss.
Most cuts on the tongue or palate heal on their own and do not need stitches, unless they are very large or don't stop bleeding on their own. Cuts on the inside of the lip don't usually need stitches.
A previous study by Schwab and his team had found obese people with obstructive sleep apnea had considerably larger tongues with higher percentages of tongue fat than obese people without the condition. The new study found you can trim down your fatty tongue as you lose overall body fat.
Hairy tongue occurs due to lack of stimulation / abrasion to the top of the tongue. The result is a buildup of a protein known as keratin (the same protein that makes up the hair on your head).
However, in England and Wales, a Court of Appeal judgement recently found tongue splitting to be illegal, constituting grievous bodily harm, when performed by a body modification practitioner for cosmetic purposes, even in instances where consent has been obtained.
Some like the way it looks, some want to try something new or reclaim a part of themselves. I knew a girl who had a bad stutter and had her tongue pierced as a part of her way of accepting herself.
The good news is that a majority of lingual nerve injuries are temporary. After eight weeks, approximately 90 percent of the injuries heal on their own. That's so encouraging! If the injury lasts longer than six months, the damage, unfortunately, is probably permanent.
Less severe tongue injuries heal on their own within a week. More severe tongue injuries require medical attention, such as stitches and medication. It may take several weeks or months to fully heal.
Depending on the condition, dentists may also be involved in the treatment by fitting treatment appliances or teaching tongue exercises. Yes, today's dentist cares for more than just your teeth and gums. More and more they coordinate with your primary care physician and specialists.
Both segments of a bifurcated tongue are able to move independently, meaning that people with a split tongue have more manual dexterity -- which is said to be quite the benefit when it comes to kissing [source: Siegel].
Although Larratt estimates that about 2,000 people in the Western world have split tongues, that's “almost commonplace, as heavy 'mods' go,” he said, using the abbreviated term for body modification.
About one-third of the population can perform a folding (III) movement or a twisting (left/right) movement.
According to a study published in the journal Dysphagia, 83.7% of the population could roll their tongue. Well, that's impressive. Now you may be wondering, what percentage of the population can do a clover tongue? According to this study, only 14.7%.
The percentage of people who can roll the tongue varies from 60 to 80% [8][9][10][11] [12] [13][14][15] and the average percentage of tongue folding lies between 1.5 and 3% [10,16,17].