Loss of Taste Causes

Can you imagine a state of taste loss? It can be very annoying and you may start losing your interest in food. It is also possible that you may lose the sense of smell too. Such a condition is common among aged people, as it is normal in aging. But, younger people may also suffer from this condition. This is evident from the fact that, every year, more than 200,000 people are detected with problems related to chemical senses, which include loss of taste, smell or both.

How do we Sense Taste?
There are special sensory cells located in the mouth and the throat, that are stimulated by the molecules in the food that is chewed. These sensory cells are called gustatory cells and are found in clusters in the taste buds. These stimulated gustatory cells send messages to the brain with the help of taste nerves and thereby the brain identifies each taste. Each taste cell can respond to any of the five basic tastes – sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami (savory). Now, you may have come to the conclusion that the taste cells single-handedly help us in experiencing a food item. This is not correct for there are various other factors that are jointly responsible for this task.

Apart from the taste cells, the most important sensory mechanism that helps us in sensing a particular food item are the sensory cells in the nose that are stimulated by smell. When we chew our food, aromas are released and these aromas travel to the nose through a channel that connects the roof of the throat to the nose. The sensory cells in the nose are stimulated, which in turn send messages to the brain and identify the food. During common cold or flu, the passage from the throat to the nose gets blocked and the food aromas do not reach the sensory cells in the nose. This loss of smell affects the taste sensation to a large extent and the food may taste bland.

Now, you know that the sensations of taste and smell are interlinked, so that a loss of smell may affect the sensation of taste. Apart from the sensory cells in the mouth and nose, there is one more mechanism, that helps us to identify the sensations of cold, heat, etc. This mechanism involves several nerve endings on the moist surfaces of the eyes, nose, mouth and throat, that help us in sensing the texture of the food, the irritation caused by certain food items, like, pepper and in differentiating between cold and hot food. All these mechanisms jointly work to sense the taste of food and any impairment to any of these systems may affect this sensation.

What Causes Loss of Taste?
Loss of taste can manifest itself in various forms. The condition, wherein the affected person cannot detect any taste is called 'ageusia'. Some people may experience a reduced ability to sense the basic tastes and this condition is called 'hypogeusia'. It has also been observed that some people experience a loss of a specific taste, like, sweet or bitter or any other basic taste. In case of phantom taste perception or 'phantogeusia', one of the common disorders associated with the sense of taste, the affected person experiences an unpleasant or bad taste in the mouth, even though, he doesn't have anything in his mouth. If a person experiences a rancid or metallic taste all the time, then he is affected by a condition called 'dysgeusia'. The most common among these disorders is phantom taste perception and the least common is a total loss of taste or ageusia.

Now, we know that taste and smell are interlinked and there are various disorders, which come under the purview of loss of taste. The following are some of the common loss of taste causes.

• Loss of taste is commonly experienced in some medical conditions, like, common cold, tooth and gum diseases, allergies, ear infections, head injury, tongue infection, tonsil disorder, upper respiratory disorders, nasal and sinus problems, nasal polyps, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, brain tumor, etc.
• Loss of sense of taste causes include deficiencies of some vitamins and minerals, like, vitamin B12, folate and zinc.
• Fungal infection of the tongue, otherwise known as oral thrush, yeast infection or candidiasis, can be one of the loss of taste causes. A mouth infection called glossitis may also result in loss of taste.
• Ear infections and middle-ear surgeries can also affect the sense of taste, as one of the major nerves to the taste buds travels through the middle ear.
• Loss of taste causes include cigarette smoking, pollutants, intake of some medicines (like antibiotics), radiation therapy for cancers in the head or neck, poor oral hygiene and dental problems.
• Exposure to chemicals, like some insecticides, can also lead to loss of taste.
• Apart from the above said loss of taste causes, aging is also a common cause, as the nerves that control the sensations of taste and smell start a slow degeneration after the age of thirty.
• Some people are born with the inability to smell and this condition is called 'congenital anosmia'. Such people may also face loss of taste.

Now, you know the common loss of taste causes. While most of them are temporary, some of the causes may result in permanent loss of taste. Studies show that almost 80% of the people affected with loss of taste have actually lost their sense of smell while their taste buds are still intact. So, it is necessary to consult your general practitioner to find out the exact cause. He may refer you to specialists like allergist, otolaryngology specialists or neurologists for further diagnosis. Some of the causes for loss of taste and smell, like poor oral hygiene, cigarette smoking, etc., are avoidable. A life without the sense of smell and taste can be quite annoying and unpleasant to say the least. So don't take it for granted. Approach a doctor, in case you are facing this recurring problem.