Roll Your Tongue

Most people have the ability to roll their tongue.[1] Both genetic and environmental factors play a roll in tongue rolling.[2] If you are in the minority and unable to roll your tongue this may seem an impossible task. You may try very hard to force your tongue to obey without results.[3] There is no guarantee of success but keep trying and you may find you can do something you've never done before!

Steps

Making a Tongue Taco

  1. Press your tongue against the bottom of your mouth. You may also call this the floor of your mouth. This provides an easy to access boundary for your tongue. You will be using the inside of your mouth as a guide while you learn. You really do not need anything else. The bottom of the mouth along with the teeth and lips should provide all the necessary surfaces for the tongue taco shape.
  2. Flatten your tongue to cover the bottom of your mouth. Try to touch all three sides (don't worry about the back) of your mouth at the same time. Stretch your tongue so you are applying pressure to each side. You may even feel like your tongue is going under your teeth.
  3. Curl the edges of your tongue independently. Now try to move each side of your tongue independently. Keep your tongue flattened. With pressure on each side of your mouth, release one side a little and move it up that side of the mouth. For example, while keeping pressure on the left side, attempt to touch your teeth with the right side. Try touching the top of your mouth. Switch to the other side and do the same thing.
  4. Curl the edges of your tongue together. As you learn to move each side independently you will gain more tongue dexterity. Hold your tongue down flat and move one side up. Then move the other side. You should now be holding your tongue flat while the sides are touching each side of your mouth on or above your teeth. If you look in the mirror, you will see your tongue is beginning to fold.
    • If you look in the mirror and your tongue doesn't appear to look flat, keep practicing flattening your tongue and moving the sides independently. What's happening is you are using muscles in the middle of your tongue to raise your tongue. These muscles should be holding your tongue to the bottom of your mouth.
  5. Push your tongue out while holding its shape. Once you open your mouth you should have the start of your tongue taco shape inside. As you push your tongue out of your mouth, keep pressure on the sides. Press the bottom of your tongue against your bottom front teeth. As your tongue exits, use your lips to hold the round shape.
    • You may find it easier to keep your tongue wrapped around something like a drinking straw as you push your tongue out. Keep the sides of your tongue against the sides of the straw. If you feel the bottom of your tongue pushing the straw up and away from the sides, back up and regain your tongue's shape. Keep trying until you don't need the straw at all.

Making a Two-Leaf Clover

  1. Flatten your tongue to cover the bottom of your mouth. Try to touch all three sides (don't worry about the back) of your mouth at the same time. Stretch your tongue so you are applying pressure to each side. You may even feel like your tongue is going under your teeth. You need to keep your tongue flat as much as possible while practicing this clover shape.
  2. Make a taco with your tongue inside your mouth. If you are unable to make a taco shape, practice that first. You should be able to make and hold a taco shape without any support. This means if you still need your lips to hold the taco shape, you are not ready for this trick.
  3. Put the tip of your tongue against the bottom of your two front teeth. The goal here is to practice moving the tip independently of the sides and middle. You will need to start by touching the tip to the bottom of the front teeth. Try to keep the sides at the top of your mouth. You may need to press the sides against the top of your mouth to keep the shape.
    • Touch only the tip of your tongue to the bottom of your top front teeth. If any part of your tongue is touching the bottom of your front teeth or any teeth try to pull your tongue back. Hold your tongue's tip to your front teeth while you do this. This, in and of itself, will help you differentiate the muscles in your tongue (i.e., front middle and front sides).
  4. Lick the back of your two front teeth. Do this only with the tip of your tongue. Do this without moving the sides of your tongue. Do not let them slide back in your mouth. If they move, start over. You will know you have successfully accomplished this when your tongue folds onto itself in the middle.
    • This will be the hardest part and take the longest to practice and perfect. If you are going to get stuck, this is where it will happen.
    • If you are having trouble here you may be moving the entire front of your tongue instead of just the tip. This may be difficult to overcome. If you feel the sides of the front of your tongue moving with the tip, slow down and start over. They will need to be relaxed or they will push the sides of your tongue back into your mouth.
  5. Practice holding the middle fold without your teeth. Most likely the sides of your mouth are still holding the sides of your tongue steady. You may even be using your top teeth to hold the middle fold. Practice extending your tongue out of your mouth while holding the shape. With enough practice you will be able to create the fold without the help of your teeth.

Making a Three-Leaf Clover

  1. Flatten your tongue in your mouth. You want to begin by stretching your tongue as much as you can. You may try by pressing your tongue to the bottom of your mouth. You will need as much tongue as possible to make the three-leaf clover.
  2. Fold your tongue into the taco shape. If you cannot make and hold a taco shape with your tongue, do not attempt this technique. You will only frustrate yourself. The skills learned in both making a taco shape and a two-leaf clover are prerequisites for the three-leaf clover shape.
  3. Put your finger in front of your mouth. Preferably your index finger with the fingerprint side toward your tongue. Whichever finger you use it must be strong enough to resist your tongue. You will be pressing your tongue against it to form your three-leaf clover shape. You don't have to put it on your lips but you want it close enough that you cannot stick your tongue all the way out without moving you finger.
  4. Push your taco shaped tongue forward against your finger. Don't use your mouth to hold the taco shape. Move your finger so it is close to your mouth but not in your mouth. You need room to move your tongue forward and backward as you learn this trick.
    • one way to position your finger is to stick your taco shaped tongue out. Put your finger beneath your tongue, point toward the ceiling. The nail of the finger should be under the tip of the tongue. Move your tongue back an let your finger come straight up. That's a good place for your finger to stay.
  5. Hold the tip and sides of your tongue allowing the edges to the left and right of your finger to fold inward. During the two-leaf clover trick these muscles to the left and right of your finger relax. They should relax here too. The taco shaped tip will point upward creating the single, third leaf. This is the most difficult part. If you are going to get stuck, this is where you will get stuck.
    • If you can't yet do the two-leaf clover, practice that instead. The three-leaf clover trick requires much more tongue dexterity. During the two-leaf clover you will learn to manipulate the tip independently of the sides. You will need this skill to successfully form the three-leaf clover shape.
  6. Practice holding the folds until you can remove your finger. The more practice you have rolling your tongue, the more you will not need supports. You will be able to form the three-leaf clover without assistance. Pull your finger back from your tongue while holding the shape. It may take several times but eventually you will be able to hold the shape.
    • You may need to take a break while practicing. You tongue muscles may become fatigued from overuse in ways they have not been used before. This may make holding the shape impossible until later.

Warnings

  • Note that you will not be able to roll your tongue if you have a medical condition known as a "tongue tie,” "butterfly tongue," or “ankyloglossia.” People with this condition have a band of tissue called the lingual frenulum which connects the bottom of the tongue to the floor of the mouth, making it difficult to move the tip of the tongue.[4] Most people have this corrected at a young age to facilitate proper speech.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://udel.edu/~mcdonald/mythtongueroll.html
  2. ↑ http://genetics.thetech.org/ask/ask125
  3. ↑ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/genetic-myth-textbooks-get-wrong/
  4. ↑ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001640.htm

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