Loss of TasteThe questions below were raised by visitors to the STOMP (Straits Times Online Mobile Print) website in the AskST section of the website. eMenders doctors provided the answers to the questions raised as a public health education project. The information provided below is of a general nature and should not be treated as a replacement for medical advice. You should seek consultation from a medical or healthcare professional about your specific medical condition.
Question:
Is there any cure for "malfunctioning" taste buds? A few years ago I accidentally "burnt" my tongue with some concentrated mouthwash. For the first 2 to 3 days, I couldn't taste anything. After about a week I regained a bit of my tasting ability. After some time, I have only regained about 60% of my tasting ability. Is there a problem? Is it possible for me to regain my sense of taste completely? Also, is there a cure?
Answer:
There are generally two types of commercially available mouth rinses - alcohol-based and specific chemical based. Different mouth rinses have slightly different functions but they are generally used to maintain oral health and hygiene.
Being fluid-based, mouth rinses would seldom burn the tongue too badly. However, it is not uncommon for some people, after using certain types of mouth rinses for a long period of time, to experience taste changes. This is usually a temporary phenomenon and the person will usually fully recover after discontinuing usage of the mouth rinse, since the mouth rinse only affects the superficial layer of the tongue/taste buds. The taste buds usually recover quickly and the nerve supply (taste sensation) of the taste buds is not affected by the mouth rinse in the long run.
DR ANSGAR CHENG is a Consultant Dental Surgeon at the Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore.