Taste Alteration Health Article

Treatments

There is no cure or treatment for taste alteration. Patients with this condition are counseled on methods to overcome the affect of taste alteration on eating. However, some studies have shown that zinc supplements, given at the first sign of taste alteration, can reduce radiation-induced taste changes.

The patient's teeth should be brushed and flossed before eating to remove old tastes and refresh the mouth. Rinsing the mouth with salted water, water containing baking soda, tea, or ginger ale before eating may be helpful. Brushing and flossing should be performed carefully to prevent damage to the weakened mouth tissues.

There are a variety of measures that can be taken to make food more tasteful and less offensive. Dietary recommendations include:

• eating foods that are cool or at room temperature
• adding tart flavors to foods such as lemon, citrus, and vinegar, unless mouth sores are present
• using mints, gum, or lemon drops to remove bad tastes after eating
• adding more sugar to foods to reduce salty, acid, or bitter tastes
• using barbecue sauce, basil, catsup, chili powder, garlic, mint, mustard, onion, oregano, rosemary, or tarragon to add flavor to foods
• eating frozen fruits such as grapes, melons, or oranges
• eating fresh vegetables, which may taste better than frozen or canned ones

Alternative and complementary therapies

Taste alteration related to a zinc deficiency can be treated by the addition of zinc to the diet. Zinc deficiency can be relieved by taking zinc picolinate supplements. Foods that are rich sources of zinc include oysters, crab, beef, pork, eggs, nuts, yogurt, and whole grains.

See Also Sjögren's syndrome

Belinda Rowland, Ph.D.

Ageusia

—The complete loss of the ability to taste foods.

Dysgeusia

—Changes in what food normally tastes like.

Hypogeusia

—The decreased ability to taste foods.

Taste buds

—Tiny bumps located in several parts of the mouth that enable one to taste foods.

Taste cells

—The cells that make up taste buds.