The Tongue and the Nose: Taste and Smell

1The tongue: taste

Your tongue is covered with tiny bumps called taste buds. They tell your brain what you are eating:

Some scientists add a fifth taste, called umami: a rich, savoury taste, like meat soup.

Every part of your tongue can taste all of these tastes. The tongue also mixes your food with saliva, helps you chew and swallow, and helps you speak.

2The nose: smell

Inside your nose are special nerve cells. They pick up tiny bits of a smell that float in the air and send messages to your brain. People can tell apart thousands of different smells.

The nose also helps you breathe. Its hairs and sticky mucus trap dust and germs, and it warms and wets the air before it goes to your lungs.

3Taste and smell work together

Much of what we call "taste" really comes from smell. When your nose is blocked, the smell cannot reach it, so food tastes flat. That is why Uwase's isombe tasted of nothing.

Try this: close your eyes, pinch your nose, and ask a friend to give you a piece of apple and then a piece of raw Irish potato. Can you tell which is which?

4Caring for the tongue and nose

• Brush your teeth and gently brush your tongue; rinse your mouth after eating.
• Let very hot food and drinks cool first, so they do not burn your tongue.
• Blow your nose gently into a clean handkerchief or tissue.
• Never push beans, stones or sticks into your nose.
• Keep away from smoke and dust, and do not pick your nose.
• Sneeze or cough into your elbow, and wash your hands.

Try it yourself

Try each one first, then tap Show answer to check.