Cheek facts for kids
Your cheeks are the soft, fleshy parts on the sides of your face. They are found right below your eyes and between your nose and ears. In humans and other mammals, cheeks are an important part of your mouth and help you eat and speak. The skin of your cheeks is supported by your chin and jaws, and they touch your cheekbones, which are the bones just below your eyes.
In animals, the cheek area can have special markings like stripes or spots. These markings often help tell different species or even individual animals apart.
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What Do Cheeks Do?
Cheeks play several important roles for humans and animals.
Helping You Eat
Your cheeks are like flexible walls for your mouth. When you chew food, your cheeks help keep the food inside your mouth and push it towards your teeth. This makes it easier to chew and swallow your food without it falling out.
Helping You Speak
When you talk, your cheeks work with your tongue and lips to help you make different sounds. They can change the shape of your mouth, which is important for forming words and speaking clearly. Try saying some words and feel how your cheeks move!
Protecting Your Mouth
Cheeks also act as a protective barrier for the inside of your mouth. They cover your teeth and gums, helping to keep them safe from injuries.
Cheeks in Different Animals
Just like in humans, cheeks are important for many animals, but they can look and function differently.
Cheek Pouches
Some animals, like hamsters and certain types of monkeys, have special cheek pouches. These are like stretchy pockets inside their cheeks. They use these pouches to store food! A hamster can stuff a lot of seeds into its cheek pouches to carry them back to its nest. This is a clever way for them to transport food safely.
Facial Markings
As mentioned, many animals have unique patterns or colors on their cheeks. For example, some birds have bright patches on their cheeks that help them attract a mate. Tigers have stripes that extend onto their cheeks, helping them blend into their environment. These markings can be important for camouflage, communication, or even showing off to other animals.
Your Cheekbones
The bones that form the upper part of your cheeks are called cheekbones (or zygomatic bones). These bones give shape to your face and protect your eyes. They are also where some of your chewing muscles attach. Strong cheekbones are a feature of many faces and help support the structure of your face.
