I have very little proprioceptive sense of my tongue, and when I'm at the dentist I have to consciously move it to know where it is. I basically pick a corner a

I have very little proprioceptive sense of my tongue, and when I'm at the dentist I have to consciously move it to know where it is. I basically pick a corner away from the dental instrument and touch the tip to that corner. After a minute or so I'll drift back to center and will hardly notice it. I often ask the technician if my tongue is in the way, and they always say it's not, but I'm not sure I believe them. I sometimes have anxiety that if my tongue slips a little bit I'll get injured, and that sure doesn't help. Physiologically, I would imagine that when the mouth is closed, the tactile pressure on the tongue is constant enough that your brain filters it out. When my mouth is open, the tactile pressure is gone, so there's even less sense of location. Without the muscle extension, it's just a blob of jello with no sensation. Hence why I place the tip at a specific corner.