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- You Ate or Drank Something Too Hot. It seems too simple to be true, but eating or drinking something hot may temporarily cause your sense of taste to get weird.
- You Have a Cold or Allergies. Nasal congestion due to an infection from a virus, bacteria or allergies can make it tough to taste your dinner — and that might be one reason why you're feeling a little "meh" about food right now.
- You Have a Nasal Polyp. So, the plot thickens if you have a cold or allergies that lead to sinusitis (a sinus infection), an inflammation of the nose and sinus cavities, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
- You're Taking a New-to-You Medication. Certain medications can disturb your sense of taste, including thyroid medications and certain ACE inhibitors for high blood pressure, antifungals and chemotherapy drugs, per Michigan Medicine.
- Age. As you get older, it can get harder for you to notice flavors. Some women can start to lose their taste buds in their 40s. For men, the change can happen in their 50s.
- Medication. Prescription drugs can affect how your taste buds pick up flavors. Or they could put different chemicals into your saliva. Your taste and smell may go wrong if you’re taking
- Illnesses. Your taste could be affected if you have: An infection in your nose, throat, or sinuses. A head injury, which might affect the nerves related to taste and smell.
- Cancer Treatment. If you’re being treated for cancer, your sense of taste might be thrown off by: Chemotherapy. It affects the taste of about half the people who get it.
- Overview
- Causes of taste bud changes
- How often do they change?
- What about a sudden change?
- How to repair damaged taste buds
- When to see a doctor
- The bottom line
Human beings are born with around 10,000 taste buds, most of which are located directly on the tongue. These taste buds help us enjoy the five primary tastes:
•sweet
•sour
•salty
•bitter
•umami
Our taste buds are responsible for helping us enjoy the many flavors the world has to offer. When our taste buds encounter food and other substances, the taste cells inside send messages to the brain that help us make sense of what we are tasting. These taste cells work in conjunction with chemical and physical senses to produce what we know as “flavor.”
Changes in our taste buds can greatly affect the way we perceive flavor. Foods can become bland and lack flavor. Your perception of flavor, especially via your taste buds, can be impaired by a variety of factors, from infections to medications, and more.
Outside of illness, aging, or other causes, taste perception is generally constant. However, adult taste bud regeneration occurs frequently both on a cellular level and a functional level.
According to animal research from 2006, our taste buds themselves turnover every 10 days, while further research from 2010 suggests that approximately 10 percent of the cells inside these taste buds turnover each day.
A sudden change in your taste buds or a sudden loss of taste can indicate an underlying medical condition. Some medical conditions that can cause a sudden change in your perception of taste include:
•common cold
•sinus infection
•ear infection
•ear injury
•throat infection
When damaged taste buds are caused by an underlying medical condition, they can be repaired by treating the underlying condition. Bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics, while viral infections can be managed with plenty of rest at home.
For more serious conditions, such as those that cause long-term nerve damage, treatment may not necessarily restore the function of the taste buds. Ultimately, recovery depends on the extent of the nerve damage and the body’s ability to repair it.
If you have a sudden loss of taste that accompanies symptoms of more serious conditions, such as a head injury, mouth injury, stroke, or other nervous system condition, it’s time to visit a doctor. They can assess your medical history and if necessary, run further diagnostic tests to determine the underlying cause.
Taste bud changes can occur naturally as we age or may be caused by an underlying medical condition. Viral and bacterial illnesses of the upper respiratory system are a common cause of loss of taste. In addition, many commonly prescribed medications can also lead to a change in the function of the taste buds. In some cases, a more serious underlying condition may be causing a change in the perception of taste.
If you have been experiencing a change in your taste buds that you can’t explain or that won’t go away, schedule a visit with your doctor for further testing.
Dysgeusia is a taste disorder. People with this condition feel that all foods taste metallic, sweet, sour or bitter. Many things can cause dysgeusia, like smoking, medical conditions, medication or poor oral hygiene. Treatment addresses the underlying cause, like quitting smoking, changing medication or improving oral hygiene.
Oct 14, 2022 · Impaired taste means that your sense of taste is not functioning properly. Causes of impaired taste range from the common cold to more serious medical conditions involving the central nervous...
- Erica Roth
Jul 5, 2024 · You might have heard the myth that different “regions” of the tongue recognize specific tastes. In fact, taste cells recognizing each of the different taste qualities are scattered around the tongue. Taste comes from tiny molecules that are released when you chew, drink, or digest food or liquid.
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Apr 6, 2023 · “What people will call taste isn’t really taste: It’s flavor.” In Head Trip, PopSci explores the relationship between our brains, our senses, and the strange things that happen in between.
