While most parts of the body stop growing and increasing in size in adulthood, the ears and nose appear to continue growing into old age. They grow in size, but this does not include any new function or cell division. The reason is that the nose, earlobe, and cartilage parts are cells that tend to erode and sag over time. This explains the larger size of the nose and ears in elderly people.
Earwax consists of a mixture of fat, sweat, and dead skin cells, and forms a protective barrier that acts as a filter between the ear and the outside world, protecting it and maintaining moisture. The ear never stops working and continues to pick up 100% of the sounds during sleep; even without the person’s awareness and perception, the brain continues to generate neural responses to the surrounding sounds.
As for the nose, it contains the best air filter in the world; it is lined with tens of thousands of hairs that prevent germs, viruses, dust, and pollen. The nasal cavity also contains grooves through which air circulates during inhalation. This adds moisture and warms the air to match body temperature before it reaches the lungs. A person is able to smell more than 10,000 odors, as their nose contains sinuses that produce about a quarter liter (equivalent to a cup) of mucus daily, which contains white blood cells and enzymes responsible for fighting infection.
The human mouth is home to more than 700 different types of bacteria, some of which are beneficial and harmful, and some of which play a crucial role in maintaining oral health, taste buds are located in the inner part of the cheeks, and the average person has about 10,000 taste buds. The mouth produces one liter of saliva a day (equivalent to a bottle of soda); it is worth mentioning that food cannot be tasted unless it is mixed with saliva.
The mouth contains the tongue, which is the most flexible muscle in the human body. There are eight muscles that make up one tongue, and the average length of the tongue is about 3 inches from back to tip. You might also be surprised to know that each person has their own unique tongue print, just like their fingerprint, and that smiling requires 17 muscles while frowning requires 43 muscles.
In conclusion, we cannot tackle everything; no matter how much we think about how wonderful our bodies are, and no matter what these complex machines consist of millions of internal processes that occur every second, working in an ingenious system to maintain the health and survival of the human being.
References
Buxmontpodiatry
Careplusvn.com
Chestnutdental
Harleystreetent
Healthline.com
Hiddenhearing
Mychicagofootexpert
Pediatricfootankle
Respiratorytherapyzone
Smilescapes
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