Researchers in Greece tested both smokers and non-smokers, using electrical stimulation to cause a metallic taste. They found that the smokers didn’t taste nearly as well as the non-smokers.

To follow up, the taste buds of both groups were examined by endoscope and the tongues of the smokers were flatter and had less blood supply – also affecting the ability to taste.

What are tastebuds?

Taste buds are many of the raised “bumps” along the top of your tongue. They are able to sense if something is  salty, bitter, sweet, or sour. Adults have an average of about 10,000 taste buds on their tongue.

Like your skin, your body sheds its taste buds as well. On average, you keep a taste bud for about 2 weeks and then it sloughs off, to be replaced by another. However, some things may affect the regrowth of the taste buds, including age. Many older people don’t taste foods as they did when they were younger. Smoking also has this effect.

So, yet another reason to quit smoking?

~~~~

Images courtesy PhotoXpress.com

Post from: Blisstree

Smokers and Their Taste Buds: Not as Many

This is a really cool little video that captures in slow motion exactly how a dog drinks!

Remember when you were a kid and thought it was just a matter of sticking their tongue in the water, and you learned when you got older that they form a sort of bowl at the end of their tongue? This shows exactly how they do it!

Post from: Blisstree

How a Dog Drinks

While Chai was playing with the ball his tongue got stuck in the hole, and since there wasn’t a second hole to prevent it a vacuum was created that ended up causing irreparable damage to Chai’s tongue.

Chai’s family have a weblog (warning: some mildly graphic pictures) chronicling the ordeal and how Chai’s tongue ended up having to be removed. Chai has to relearn how to eat and drink.

They’re calling for an international boycott of all Four Paws products until the ball is recalled.

[image: product image]

Post from: Blisstree

Toy Ball Causes Severe Damage to Chai the Dog