“Gleeking” is a bodily function that most of us are capable of, yet for one reason or another, we don’t do it.
The human body is an amazing thing when you think about it – everything has a purpose and works together to keep us alive.
That being said, there are things we can do to help our body like staying active and eating a good diet.
But there are also some things our body can do and we don’t actually realize – like “Gleeking”.
Though why anyone would want to do this on purpose is beyond me.
Despite being a natural occurrence, gleeking often evokes reactions of disgust or embarrassment.
The phenomenon began trending on TikTok after a doctor claimed that while gleeking might be difficult at first, it’s possible to train yourself to do it on command.
In a viral video, TikTok user @therealtiktokdoc explained: “35 percent of the population can do it, but only one percent can do it on command.”
So, what exactly is gleeking, and why does it happen?
The human body has three major salivary glands: the parotid glands (located in front of and below the ears), the sublingual glands (beneath the tongue), and the submandibular glands (below the jaw).
Gleeking occurs when the tongue applies pressure to the sublingual glands, causing saliva to be ejected from the mouth.
Saliva plays an essential role in the body. As the Cleveland Clinic explains: “It kickstarts digestion, helps you chew and swallow food, and protects your teeth.”
Gleeking is an unintentional form of spitting that typically happens when you eat, talk, or yawn.
However, if you’re curious and want to give it a try, experts have outlined a few steps to help you gleek on command.
Speaking to Health.com, Dr. Mark S. Wolff, dean of the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and Dr. Steven Morgano, chair of the Department of Restorative Dentistry at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, have shared a method to achieve this unusual skill.
First, Dr. Wolff suggests eating something sour, such as tart cherries, kimchi, or vinegar, as these foods can stimulate the salivary glands.
Next, stick your tongue out of your mouth and lift it. Then, curl your tongue back so it rests behind your top teeth. Finally, tense your tongue muscles to squeeze the sublingual glands.
So there we go, you can now go out into the world and gleek with confidence.
Although, please don’t.
