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Sublingual Caruncle Taste Buds Drive Taste Perception and Salivary Reflexes

Journal of Dental Research · J. Liu, R. Xi, M. Han, X. Xu, M. Tizzano · 2026-07-17

Researchers identified taste buds in the sublingual caruncle (near salivary duct openings) of mice and showed they contain all typical taste receptor cells, express taste-signalling molecules, receive nerve innervation, and trigger both taste perception and saliva production across all five basic taste qualities.

A plain-English summary of the study's own findings — we don't add our own claims or interpretation. Read the full paper for the complete methods and results, and apply your own clinical judgement.

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