What is the term for the surface of a tooth facing the tongue?

• A. Labial surface
• B. Buccal surface
• C. Lingual surface
• D. Occlusal surface

Answer: (C)

The surface facing the tongue is called the lingual surface. This term identifies the inner side of every tooth that sits toward the tongue, on both the upper and lower arches. Other surfaces describe direction relative to lips or cheeks (labial toward the lips, buccal toward the cheeks) or the chewing surface on back teeth (occlusal). Lingual is the specific term for the tongue-facing side.