We tend to take our lips, tongue, gums, and teeth for granted (until something goes wrong) but the human mouth is a fascinating part of the body.

The mouth is as vital as your heart or brain, and is involved in several essential functions including eating, drinking, and of course, speaking.

Here are 10 fun things you probably didn’t know about the mouth.

* The inside of your mouth has more bacteria than there are people on Earth.

* Teeth start to form before you are born but don’t come through until a baby is between six to 12 months old.

* One third of your tooth is hidden beneath your gums.

* A person’s teeth are as unique as a fingerprint.

* The tongue is the strongest muscle in the body (relative to its size).

* There are approximately 10,000 taste buds in the mouth, and most of them are on the tongue.

* Food molecules must dissolve in saliva to be recognised by taste buds.

* Lips dry out and chap faster than other part of the body because they have no oil glands.

* Children have 20 ‘baby teeth,’ and adults have 32 permanent teeth.

* Right-handed people are more likely to chew food on the right side of their mouth and left-handed people on the left side.

Sources: Fresh Dental Care and Mouth Healthy.