SAN ANTONIO — 'Tis the season for holiday movies but some of those movies come with some bad ideas for kids that they may actually try out, with not so positive consequences.
"A Christmas Story" is one of those holiday movies that is played non-stop over the Christmas holiday. Many of you remember the character Flick who got his tongue stuck to a pole after a Triple Dog Dare.
THE QUESTION
Is it true that if you put your tongue on a frozen pole, your tongue will stick to it?
THE SOURCES
- Dr. Jesus Jimenez, a primary care physician with University Health.
THE ANSWER
True
WHAT WE FOUND
"If it's the freezing point, then the moisture in the tongue is going to freeze and that'll actually freeze the liquid in the tongue, and it's going to actually stick to the pole because it's going to create that ice connection," Dr. Jimenez told us.
So let's say you or your child actually decides to try this "science experiment" out? How do you get your tongue unstuck? No you won't need the fire department. Dr. Jimenez says grab some tepid water, or have someone else who isn't stuck to the pole do it for you. And Dr. Jimenez says, "Maybe just drip it down the pole and a little bit on the tongue. Just to have that water pretty much going to heat up the ice around the connection."
So yes, it is true. If you put your tongue on a frozen pole your tongue will stick to it. Of course Dr. Jimenez says the best thing to do is not to stick your tongue to anything frozen outside.