The sense of taste is strengthened by the sense of smell, helping to perceive the taste and flavor of food. They should be evaluated together. When there is a taste disorder, patients use more sugar and salt to enjoy the taste of food, and thus an increase in diabetes and hypertension diseases can be seen.

The sense of taste is strengthened by the sense of smell, helping to perceive the taste and flavor of food. They should be evaluated together. When there is a taste disorder, patients use more sugar and salt to enjoy the taste of food, and thus an increase in diabetes and hypertension diseases can be seen.

There are five flavors: bitter, sour, salty, sweet, and umami. The sense of taste is perceived and transmitted to the brain by the taste receptors on approximately 10 thousand taste buds scattered in our tongue and soft palate. Taste buds have spread to the tonsils and esophagus. Taste information received by the receptors in the taste buds is transmitted to the brain using many neurons. The cells on the taste buds are renewed every 10-20 days. Each taste bud is specialized for only one taste. They can detect more than one taste when faced with high amounts of mixed flavor substances. Abnormalities in the sense of taste occur due to pathologies in this taste pathway.



Taste disorders are named differently according to the situation felt:

  • Dysgeusia; general name for taste disorder
  • Metoguzia; different taste of food and drink
  • Aguzi; complete loss of sense of taste
  • Hypogeusia; decreased acuity of taste
  • Kakoguzi; unpleasant, bad taste from previously good-tasting stimuli
  • Fantoguzi; Perception of taste without taste stimulation.

Why does loss of taste occur?

Many reasons can cause loss of taste. Taste cells, which usually shrink with aging, begin to weaken in bitter and sour tastes. Partial loss of taste usually occurs due to aging.

Infections in the oral and pharyngeal mucosa can lead to taste disorders. Accumulation of infected material or toxins, decreased blood flow in the area or impaired salivation negatively affect the sense of taste.

Some systemic diseases also cause loss of smell and taste. For example, in patients with kidney failure, high urea can lead to taste perception (phantogusia) without any reason. Taste disorders associated with diabetic neuropathy are also observed in diabetic patients.

The most common causes of taste disorders:

  • Infections of the mouth and its surroundings
    • Candidiasis
    • Gingivitis
    • herpes simplex
    • Periodontitis
    • Sialadenitis
  • Bell’s palsy
  • Medicines
  • Trauma
  • Post surgery
    • Ear surgery
    • Bronchoscopy
    • Laryngoscopy
    • Tonsillectomy
    • Brain surgeries
    • After general anesthesia application
  • Systemic diseases
    • Pernicious anemia
    • Chron’s disease
    • Gastroesophageal reflux: It is one of the most common causes of taste disorders.
  • Oral applications
    • Prostheses
    • Filling materials
    • Dental prostheses
  • Dental procedures
    • Tooth extraction
    • Root canal treatment
  • Age
  • Nutritional factors
    • Vitamin deficiency (lack of vitamins B1 and B12)
    • Element deficiency (Zinc and copper)
    • Not enought feeding
    • Chronic renal failure
    • Liver diseases
    • Cancers
    • HIV disease
  • Tumors or lesions in the taste buds
    • Oral cancers
    • Skull base tumors
  • Toxic chemicals
    • Benzene
    • Benzol
    • Carbon disulfide
    • Chlorine
    • Ethyl acetate
    • Formaldehyde
    • Hydrogen selenite
    • Paint solvents
    • Sulfuric acid
    • Trichloroethylene
  • Industrial agents
    • Chromium
    • Lead (May cause metallic taste)
    • Copper (May cause metallic taste)
    • Zinc (May cause metallic taste)
  • Radiation applications to the head and neck
  • Pesticides
    • Organochlorides
    • Organophosphates
    • Carbamates
  • Psychiatric conditions
    • Depression
    • Anorexia nervosa
    • Bulimia
  • Epilepsy (period of taste aura)
  • Migraine (Taste aura period)
  • Sjogren’s syndrome
  • Endocrine disorders
    • Adrenocortical insufficiency
    • Cushing’s syndrome
    • Panhypopituitarism
    • Pseudohippituitarism
    • Kallmann syndrome
    • Turner syndrome

Drugs that cause taste and smell disorders:

  • Antibiotics
    • Ampicillin
    • Azithromycin
    • Ciprofloxacillin
    • Clarithromycin
    • Griseofulvin
    • Metronidazole
    • Ofloxacin
    • Tetracycline
  • Anticonvulsants
    • Carbamazepine
    • Phenytoin
  • Antidepressants
    • Amitriptyline
    • Clomipramine
    • Desipramine
    • Doxepin
    • Imipramine
    • Nortriptyline
  • Antihistamines and decongestants
    • Chlorpheniramine
    • Loratidine
    • Pseudoephedrine
  • Antihypertensives
    • Acetazolamide
    • Amiloride
    • Betaxazole
    • Captopril
    • Diltiazem
    • Enalapril
    • Nifedipine
    • Nitroglycerine
    • Propranolol
    • Spironolactone
  • Anti-inflammatories
    • Colchicine
    • Dexamethasone
    • Gold
    • Hydrocortisone
    • Penicillamine
  • Antimanic drugs
    • Lithium
  • Antineoplastics
    • Cisplatin
    • Doxarubicin
    • Methotrexate
    • Vinristine
  • Antiparkinsonian drugs
    • Levodopa
  • Antipsychotics
    • Clozapine
    • Trifloperazine
  • Antithyroid drugs
    • Methimazole
    • Propylthiouracil
  • Lipid lowering drugs
    • Fluvastatin
    • Lovastatin
    • Pravastatin
  • Muscle relaxants
    • Baclofen
    • Dantrolene



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