Ageusia (loss of taste)

Loss of sense of taste can happen to varying degrees as follows:

• Ageusia: Complete loss of taste
• Hypoageusia: Partial loss of taste
• Dysgeusia: An alteration to the sense of taste (for example, metallic taste in the mouth)

Disorders relating to the sense of taste can occur due to damage to or problems with the nose or the nervous system, as different signals are sent to the brain which then perceives the different tastes. 

Much like anosmia, losing your sense of taste (or ageusia) is a symptom in itself—most of the time, it points to an underlying condition or disorder.

A person with a taste disorder may get a completely different taste from food and drinks, with a strange metallic, salty or bitter taste, or experience a general lack of flavour or not be able to taste anything at all, depending on the degree of the disorder.

An impaired sense of taste can be caused due to a number of factors including:

• Age: A person's sense of taste usually dulls with advancing age, as the olfactory senses become less sharp. (What we smell has a close relation to our sense of taste. For example, in a healthy person, volatile compounds from hot food enter through the nose and reinforce the taste.)
• Infections such as the common cold, sinusitis, strep throat, an upper respiratory tract infection, pharyngitis, infection in the salivary glands or even allergies can cause temporary loss of taste.
• Other conditions affecting the nasal passage such as nasal polyps or nasal cancers can cause partial or total loss of sense of smell.
• Poor oral hygiene, gingivitis, dental diseases such as periodontitis or tooth decay
• Loss of taste has also been reported in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), in which the patient experiences acid reflux or heartburn repeatedly.
• Neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS) or Bell’s palsy
• Lifestyle habits such as smoking, exposure to chemicals and toxins, or radiation or radiation therapy
• Head injury or surgery of the head or neck
• Reaction to certain medications or nutritional deficiencies such as vitamin B12 deficiency or zinc deficiency.
• In some cases, ageusia or a partial loss of taste can be congenital, which means a person may have been born with such a disorder.
• Loss of smell and taste has also been recognized as one of the symptoms of COVID-19.

Temporary loss of sense of taste is not only treatable, but it can be prevented by following a healthy lifestyle.

Losing your sense of taste may happen due to the damage to the taste buds on the tongue due to a dry mouth. One can prevent losing their sense of taste by: 

• Quitting smoking
• Practising proper hygiene, like washing hands regularly to avoid infections
• Practising good oral hygiene by brushing your teeth regularly as well as getting your teeth and gums checked by the dentist periodically

If you have been experiencing a foul taste in the mouth or a reduced sensation of taste, you must visit a doctor and seek proper medical guidance. If this condition has emerged with other symptoms such as difficulty breathing, fever, weakness in the body or blurred vision, seek immediate medical attention.

A doctor would usually begin by enquiring about your medical history and ask questions about your symptoms and how long you have been experiencing this problem. The doctor would then perform a physical exam to look for other visible signs, or order imaging tests such as X-rays, CT scan or MRI scan.

Unless the loss of taste is the result of a birth defect or its onset has been due to advancing age, ageusia can be treated by addressing the underlying condition:

• If it has been brought on due to the use of certain medications, check with your doctor if those medicines can be changed (do not change your medicines or dosage without your doctor's recommendation).
• Conditions such as sinus infections, infection of the salivary glands or involving the throat may be treated with antibiotics, antivirals or decongestants and other medications and therapies to ease the symptoms of the flu, common cold or allergies. (Read more: Humidifier benefits and side effects)
• Quitting smoking has also been known to restore a chronic smoker's sense of taste over time.
• Maintaining proper dental hygiene can also help reverse or restore your sense of taste.
• Treatment for other underlying conditions such as GI issues, autoimmune diseases or complications of the nervous system can also be treated with the help of medications.

One of the complications of losing your sense of taste can be a reduced or compromised quality of life.

We use our sense of taste to know when food has gone bad or should not be eaten. Loss of sense of taste can prevent you from being able to reject foul, contaminated or stale food or water. This, in turn, can lead to weight loss and malnutrition.

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But with proper treatment, a patient's sense of taste can be restored, and one must waste no time in getting it checked by an ENT (ear, nose and throat specialist).