Dysgeusia (pronounced dis-GOOZ-ee-a) is a persistent abnormal taste. It can be described as bad, metallic, salty, foul or rancid.

Your taste buds are filled with specialized cells that collect taste information, which is sent to the brain.

Approximately 75% of flavor and taste sensations come from nerve cells involved with smell. In some people with dysgeusia, the sense of smell can also be altered. Both taste and smell cells work together to produce the sense of taste. Our taste cells can identify four main qualities: sour, bitter, salty and sweet. Some subtleties of flavor come from your sense of smell. To understand the connection between taste and smell, take a sip of coffee or eat an orange slice while you hold your nose. It will be difficult to taste the flavor of the food or drink.

Dysgeusia is relatively common and can have numerous causes, many of which are temporary. For example, the common cold, flu, a nasal or sinus infection, strep throat or other short-term conditions can cause mild dysgeusia. Other causes include:

• Smoking
• or more advanced
• A dental
• Oral
• Certain medications, including lithium, antibiotics, ACE inhibitors and many chemotherapy drugs
• Dry mouth (xerostomia), which can be caused by many medications
• Vitamin or mineral deficiency
• A brain tumor or trauma to the head
• Damage to the taste nerves
• Metabolic/endocrine problems, such as diabetes or thyroid disease)
• Depression
• Surgery of the larynx (voice box)
• Head and neck radiation
• Migraine headache
• Chlorhexidine oral rinse for periodontal (gum) disease

Dysgeusia may also be associated with burning mouth syndrome or glossitis, and other oral conditions.

The alterations in the sense of taste (and sometimes smell) are the only symptoms.

Your doctor will ask about your medical history, examine you and ask detailed questions about your dysgeusia. Common questions include how long you've noticed the problem, what kind of specific taste changes you've noticed, and possible causes (such as smoking, cold or flu or other conditions).

Tests are available to evaluate your senses of taste and smell. Certain chemicals made to produce the four major tastes sour, sweet, bitter, salty can be applied to areas of your tongue. Or you may be asked to take a taste test, in which you sip certain test liquids and try to identify their tastes. A scratch and sniff test can be used to evaluate your sense of smell. The test consists of cards, each containing an odor that is released when scratched. You are asked to identify the odor on each card.

How long dysgeusia lasts depends on the cause. If the cause is gum disease, plaque, a temporary medication or short-term condition such as a cold, the problem should disappear once the cause is removed. In some cases for example, if nerves have been damaged the dysgeusia may be permanent.

Some causes of dysgeusia can be prevented, but most cannot. Quitting smoking will improve your sense of taste and smell. Practicing , getting regular dental care, and having sinus problems treated also can help.

Many times, dysgeusia is treated by treating the cause. If the cause cannot be treated for example, if you have irreversible nerve damage your dysgeusia cannot be treated. Treatment of dry mouth or oral infection can help people with dysgeusia.

Call your doctor or dentist if any taste changes last for at least two weeks. Many times, dysgeusia will last only a few days if it is caused by a cold or other short-term problem. It is best to visit your primary-care doctor first to rule out medical problems. You may be referred to your general dentist or a specialist if an oral condition is involved. In some cases, you may need to visit a center that specializes in taste and smell disorders.

The outlook is excellent if the cause of the dysgeusia can be identified. If the cause is gum disease, plaque, a short-term condition such as a cold or a temporary medication, the dysgeusia should disappear once the cause is removed. If the dysgeusia is related to an untreated disease, such as diabetes, it is likely to improve after medical therapy.

Dysgeusia for which a cause cannot be found is called idiopathic dysgeusia, and its prognosis is difficult to determine. In some cases of idiopathic dysgeusia, the problem may go away on its own. In others, it will not. It is important to be evaluated so that the known causes of dysgeusia can be ruled out.

American Academy of Otolaryngology (Head and Neck Surgery)
One Prince St.
Alexandria, VA 22314-3357
Phone: 703-836-4444