Can you roll your tongue into a curved shape? Most people try it at least once. This ability is little more than a fun tongue trick, but contrary to popular belief, it's not entirely based on inheriting a dominant gene. Several genetic markers influence the ability to roll or curl your tongue, but so does practice.

If you're curious whether you have the genes associated with rolling your tongue, AncestryDNA^® + Traits can tell you.

Can Everyone Roll Their Tongue?

Not everyone can roll their tongue, but most people can. One study in the Netherlands revealed that 83.7% of participants could roll their tongues, slightly higher than the usual estimates of 60-80%.

Tongue rolling is the ability to roll, curl, or fold the edges of the tongue upward into a U shape. Most people can learn to do it over time by developing muscle control and coordination, as well as through practice.

If you can't roll your tongue yet, try opening your mouth slightly and raising the edges of your tongue upwards. Over time, you may develop the necessary muscle control and coordination to complete the motion. However, even with practice, some people may never be able to do this silly tongue trick.

Tongue rolling, tongue folding, and tongue-twisting ability are similar—they’re all part of the broad category of tongue curling—they’re not exactly the same. These different tongue movements may be influenced by different factors.

Genetics and Tongue Rolling

Historically, the broad category of tongue curling has been considered a simple dominant trait. If your biological parents could do it, then you were also expected to have that ability. This model is still often taught in school but doesn't paint the whole picture.

Curious about the genetic components of tongue rolling, the AncestryDNA team asked more than 1.3 million people, "Can you roll your tongue?" By comparing respondents' DNA, the team identified 10,400 DNA markers connected to tongue rolling, a far cry from the initial estimate of a single dominant gene. Using these findings, the scientists calculated a polygenic risk score—a tool to predict how likely you are to be able to roll your tongue based on your genetics.

Looking at the results of their genetic study, the AncestryDNA team concluded that the variation in people’s ability to roll their tongues is at least partly due to genetics, but a larger portion is a result of practice and behavior.

What Else Does Science Say About Tongue Rolling?

Age appears to be a key factor in developing the ability to roll one's tongue. Several studies reveal older children tend to have a higher percentage of tongue rollers than younger groups.

A 1951 Japanese study investigated schoolchildren at ages 6-7 and 12. Researchers found that the rate of tongue rollers increased from 54% to 76% between the younger and older age groups. Males, in particular, tend to develop the skill rapidly between childhood and adolescence.

A study from Sargodha, Pakistan, further emphasizes this. Scientists tested 1,734 individuals (682 males and 1,052 females) in two age categories (7-9 and 12-13). The researchers also recorded the children’s families' abilities. Around 19% of children born to two parents who could not roll their tongues were able to do so. This study also emphasized a significantly higher number of males who could roll their tongues in the older age group than the younger. Females had an insignificant variation accounting for age.

Fun Facts About Tongue Rolling

Tongue rolling was initially believed to be linked to a single gene that followed Mendelian inheritance. Alfred Sturtevant, a prominent geneticist from the 1940s, published a paper claiming the ability was linked to a dominant gene. However, this has since been debunked as a myth.

In 1952, Philip Matlock provided evidence that a single gene couldn't explain the ability, as a small study of identical twins revealed several sets where one twin could roll their tongue while the other couldn't. Because identical twins share the same genetic makeup, Sturtevant's theory would have required both twins to be able to roll their tongues.

Other physical traits have been linked to the ability to roll your tongue, including diastema (gaps between the teeth), dimples, and handedness. Some researchers believe the brain's region that controls handedness may also influence whether someone can roll their tongue.

Your ability—or inability—to roll your tongue is, at least in part, written within your genes. With an AncestryDNA^® + Traits test, you can discover whether you have the key genetic markers associated with tongue rolling. If you've already taken a Traits test, you can now review your results with an Ancestry^® membership.