Taste - impaired

Definition

Taste impairment means there is a problem with your ability to taste something. Problems range from distorted taste to a complete loss of taste. However, a complete loss of taste is rare.

Alternative Names

Considerations

The tongue can detect only sweet, salty, sour, and bitter tastes. Much of what is perceived as "taste" is actually smell. Persons who have taste problems often have a smell disorder that can make it hard to identify a food's flavor. (Flavor is a combination of taste and smell.)

Taste problems can be caused by anything that interrupts the transfer of taste sensations to the brain, or by conditions that affect the way the brain interprets theses sensations.

Causes

• Aging (the number of taste buds decrease with age)
• Bell's palsy
• Common cold
• Flu
• Gingivitis
• Heavy smoking (especially pipe smoking)
• Injury to the mouth, nose, or head
• Mouth dryness
• Nasal infection, nasal polyps, sinusitis
• Pharyngitis
• Salivary gland infections
• Side effects of medicines, including antithyroid drugs, captopril, griseofulvin, lithium, penicillamine, procarbazine, rifampin, vinblastine, and vincristine
• Sjogren syndrome
• Strep throat
• Vitamin B-12 or zinc deficiency

References

Wrobel BB. Clinical assessment of patients with smell and taste disorders. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. Dec 2004; 37(6):1127-42.

Doty RL. Effects of drugs on olfaction and taste. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. Dec 2004; 37(6):1229-54.