Role of Tongue Print for Biometric Authentication in Selected North Indian Population: A Digital Forensic Study

Background: Biometric Authentication by the application of dental findings has gained a lot of popularity in the last few years and has set out as an important adjunct in identification of an individual. Forensic odontology uses various tools such as bite marks, cheiloscopy, rugoscopy, DNA analysis, and many other tools for identification of an individual. In forensic odontology one of the most recently developed methods for biometric authentication is tongue print which has been used in our study for human identification.

Aim: To establish human tongue print as a tool for Biometric Authentication.

Study Design: A study was conducted in the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology in Manav Rachna Dental College from May-August in the year 2022.

Methodology: In the study 200 participants of an age group of 10 to 85 years were made to participate. Examination of the tongue was done prior to sample collection followed by protraction of the tongue for digital photography.

Results: The Study was designed to use tongue prints as a tool for biometric authentication. The human tongue was studied for its shape, color and texture according to different sex and age group. Statistically significant results were obtained in relation of age with color (p value=0.00) and relation of gender with texture (p value=0.026) and statistically non-significant result was obtained in other scenarios.

Conclusion: The dorsal surface of the tongue is unique in each individual when it comes to its shape, texture, color and hence it can be used as a stable and difficult to forge source of evidence that can be used for biometric authentication.