What is the name for the groove on the upper lip, we all seem to have one? Does anyone know why we do.?
2006-10-23 07:10:05 · 13 answers · asked by Lorraine J 1 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
Its called a filtrum, sorry i have no idea why we all have one.
oops bad spelling :) its philtrum, but i still dont know why we all have one!
2006-10-23 07:11:44 · answer #1 · answered by thecoldvoiceofreason 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The philtrum (Greek philtron, from philein, "to love") is the vertical groove in the upper lip, formed where the nasomedial and maxillary processes meet during embryonic development. When these processes fail to fuse fully, a cleft lip (sometimes called a "hare lip") can result. The ancient Greeks used to believe that this benign spot was one of the most erogenous spots on the human body, hence the etymology.
Folklore
According to the Jewish Talmud (Niddah 30b), God sends an angel to each womb and teaches a baby all the wisdom that can be obtained. Just before the unborn baby comes out, the angel touches it between the upper lip and the nose and all that it has taught the baby is forgotten.
Commentries on this particular story can be found in "What the Angel Taught you" by Rabbi Noah Weinberg and Yaakov Salomon (ISBN 1-57819-134-3).
Similarly, in other folksayings, it is said that an angel "shushes" the baby in the womb, to stop it from talking about heaven, or to forget. Other stories say that it is an indent left by the finger of God. Still more say that it is the spot where the angel put his finger to "shush" the child after having told it a secret.
2006-10-23 07:17:43 · answer #2 · answered by Kate 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's a fulcrum (unsure of the spelling). It's to stop your finger slipping out when you pick your nose.
Seriously, it's so that we can move our mouth in such a way that we can pronounce words.
Ooh, and to snog. Don't forget that one, it's very important. I'd much rather snog than talk!
2006-10-23 07:14:26 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's called the philtrum.
2006-10-23 07:13:02 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the philtrum is where the skin fuses together while developing in the womb.
2006-10-23 07:12:41 · answer #5 · answered by rushorty417 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its there as a channel for the snddy bits when we have a cold! lol
2006-10-23 07:19:58 · answer #6 · answered by huggz 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was told it is to stop mucous running into our mouths. Yuck.
2006-10-23 07:25:25 · answer #7 · answered by True Blue Brit 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its called the philtrum but dont know why we have it
2006-10-23 07:56:37 · answer #8 · answered by shariwharton 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lip philtrum
2006-10-23 07:12:40 · answer #9 · answered by St♥rmy Skye 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is called the arch.
2006-10-23 07:16:28 · answer #10 · answered by beebee 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋