Taste Disorders

By Roland Larrabee, M.D.

A taste disorder is a condition that causes a change in your normal sense of taste. Changes in your sense of taste, which is closely connected to your sense of smell, may be temporary or permanent. More than 2 million Americans suffer from some permanent smell or taste disorder. Most often, such disorders are not considered serious problems. The sudden loss of these senses can signal a serious problem such as a brain tumor. Although such serious problems are rare, you should report any change in taste or smell to your health care provider.

Taste buds are special structures that pick up the taste of chemicals responsible for flavors when food or drink is dissolved in saliva. Most of your taste buds are on your tongue. There are a few in the back of your mouth. The sense of taste is not as well developed as the sense of smell. Taste buds can only distinguish between salty, sweet, sour, and bitter tastes. Flavors can be distinguished because the sense of taste works with the sense of smell. Loss of the sense of smell almost always results in loss of the ability to taste.

Your sense of taste is at its keenest when you are between 30 and 60 years old. Starting at about age 60, there is a normal decline in the ability to taste, especially in the ability to taste sour and bitter. The ability to taste salty and sweet also diminishes, but less so. Because older adults can still taste salty and sweet things, they will sometimes add more sugar or salt to food in order to make the most of the taste sensations that remain.

Aside from normal aging, loss of sense of taste can also be due to:

• dryness of the mouth 
• inflammation of the mouth 
• disease of the gums or teeth 
• tumors in the brain 
• polyps in the nose 
• sinus infection 
• the common cold 
• seasonal allergies 
• head injury 
• nerve damage 
• exposure to chemicals 
• medications 
• smoking 
• radiation therapy 
• surgical removal of your voice box.

Food and drink taste different than they used to. Some things may taste strange or have a metallic taste. Your sense of taste may be heightened, diminished, or absent completely. If your sense of taste is lost or diminished, you could lose interest in food and suffer from malnutrition. Your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history and will examine you. Information that will help your health care provider make a diagnosis includes:

• when and what you taste 
• how long you've had the problem 
• whether it comes and goes 
• what medications you are taking.