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.

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.

• 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

Follow prescribed therapy, which may include a diet modification. For the common cold or flu, taste senses should return to normal after the illness has past. For smokers, stop smoking.

Make an appointment with your doctor if your taste problems do not go away, or if abnormal tastes occur with other symptoms.

The doctor will perform a physical examination and ask questions, including:

• How long has the taste problem lasted?
• Do all foods and drinks taste the same?
• Have you noticed any problems with your sense of smell?
• Does this change in taste affect the ability to eat normally?
• Do you smoke?
• Have you been sick or injured recently?
• What medicines do you take?
• When is the last time you went to the dentist?
• Have you recently changed toothpaste or mouthwash?
• What other symptoms do you have? (For example, appetite loss or breathing problems?)

If the taste problem is due to allergies or sinusitis, the doctor may give you medicine to relieve the stuffy nose. If a medicine you are taking is to blame, your doctor may recommend that you change your dose or switch to a different drug.

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.