What causes the loss of taste? Related conditions and treatments

Medically reviewed by Josephine Bawab, Pharm.D.
Licensed Pharmacist
Updated Jun 10, 2024  •  Published Dec 11, 2023
Fact Checked
In this article:

Overview: What does the loss of taste feel like?

When people have reduced taste, they are less able to identify specific types of tastes: salty, sour, sweet, bitter, and savory. However, the sense of taste is only one part of what we “taste” when we eat or drink. Odor and texture are the other two critical components of flavor, but people mainly think of odor as “taste.” It’s easy to confuse a loss of smell with a loss of taste. Only 5% of people who complain of taste loss have lost their sense of taste. Most lose their sense of smell.

Loss of taste is very different from loss of smell. Foods still have odors, but people are less sensitive to salty, sour, sweet, bitter, or savory tastes. A reduced sense of taste is called hypogeusia (hi-poe-goo-zha). People with hypogeusia find themselves putting more sugar than the average person in their coffee to make it sweet, more salt on their food to make it salty, and so on. 

Sometimes, all the tastes are involved in hypogeusia, sometimes only one or two. For instance, allergic rhinitis can cause a diminished ability to taste salt. Sometimes, taste receptors in only one part of the tongue may be involved. Some people may have reduced taste and distorted or phantom tastes, a condition called dysgeusia. In rare cases, people experience a complete loss of taste, called ageusia. No matter how much sugar they put in their coffee or salt on their food, it never tastes sweet or salty. Finally, some people lose both their sense of taste and smell, so foods and drinks have little flavor or none at all.

Key takeaways:

  • Loss of taste affects about 5% of the population. Aging, allergies, infections, environmental factors, dietary deficiencies, injury, nerve damage, neurological disorders, autoimmune disorders, diabetes, underactive thyroid, liver disease, and medication side effects can cause loss of taste.

  • Typically, the loss of taste does not require immediate medical attention unless there are other severe symptoms present as well.

  • The loss of taste generally does not require treatment, but some underlying causes may require treatment. It may or may not resolve with or without treatment, depending on the cause.

  • Treatments for the loss of taste vary by cause. Read more about treatments for allergies, gingivitis, vitamin B-12 deficiency, and hypothyroidism.

  • The loss of taste can be managed with home remedies, such as avoiding the cause (if possible), smoking cessation, treating infections or allergies with home remedies, drinking fluids, eating a healthy diet, and implementing lifestyle changes.

  • Save on prescriptions for the loss of taste with a SingleCare prescription discount card.

What causes the loss of taste?

Causes of loss of taste include:

Many medications can cause loss of taste as a side effect, including:

Should I be worried about the loss of taste?

Losing one’s sense of taste is distressing, but it usually doesn’t indicate a serious health problem. It’s often a symptom caused by temporary problems, such as dental issues, an infection, or a drug. However, it could be a sign of a medical condition that requires evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment.

If the loss of taste is persistent—it doesn’t go away or improve in a few weeks—bring it to the attention of a primary care provider or other healthcare professional. If there are other symptoms present, call a healthcare provider for medical advice. If there are serious symptoms, like a high fever or mental changes, get immediate medical care.

How is the cause of the loss of taste diagnosed?

Because there are so many possible causes, a primary care provider will start the process of diagnosing a patient and usually refer the patient to a specialist, such as an ear, nose, and throat specialist (otolaryngologist), allergist, or rheumatologist, for further evaluation.

A clinician will need a detailed medical history, dietary history, and past and present medication use. The healthcare provider will perform a physical exam, a head and neck exam, an examination of the oral cavity, and possibly ask for a dental exam. 

Medical professionals have several taste tests that involve applying tastes to the tongue to see if taste buds can register the tests. The patient may drink these taste tests and put a taste strip in their mouth, or the clinician may apply taster cotton swabs to various regions on the tongue. Taste tests will measure the minimal amount of a substance needed to produce a taste, the intensity of a taste, and how much the taste is enjoyed or hated. When applied to various parts of the tongue, taste tests can identify which taste buds are affected. In less common situations, clinicians can measure taste by using electrodes. 

Depending on other diagnostic clues, a clinician may order blood tests, urine tests, or medical imaging of the head or neck, such as a CT scan or MRI.

Some people experience a partial loss of smell (hyposmia) or a total loss of smell (anosmia). They may report losing their “taste” because most of what we consider “flavor” are food odors. In some cases, people may have both a loss of taste and smell. Healthcare providers know this and may administer smell tests to measure olfactory loss. They may also consider looking at the nasal passages and administering tests to find causes of smell loss, such as nasal polyps or sinus infections. 

Is the loss of taste contagious?

There are many reasons people lose their sense of taste. Some involve upper respiratory infections, which are contagious, but the loss of taste is not. After the infection has passed and there is no longer a risk of spreading it, people may notice that they still have taste problems.

How long does the loss of taste last?

Loss of taste will last for as long as something is causing it. Fortunately, that’s usually not too long, depending on the cause. Upper respiratory infections and allergic reactions are limited in their duration. The sense of taste may not return to normal for a few days or even months, but it will usually come back. Avoiding environmental exposures and medication side effects can help alleviate the loss of taste. Again, the effects may linger, but the taste should eventually return to normal. For some underlying conditions, taste loss is more permanent. In these cases, the sense of taste may improve somewhat, but it will probably not return to normal.

How to stop the loss of taste

There are no specific treatments for the loss of taste. Instead, healthcare providers will try to address the underlying condition:

  • Getting rid of taste loss when it’s due to smoking is straightforward—quit smoking.

  • Viral infections are typically left to run their course—after that, taste sensation should return to normal, though it may take a few days or weeks.

  • Allergic reactions are treated by avoiding allergens and using allergy medications.

  • Loss of taste due to medications can be treated by switching to different types of drugs, though this may not always be possible.

  • Dietary deficiencies are treated with dietary changes and supplements.

  • Dental problems are treated with proper oral care, medications, and oral surgery.

  • Dry mouth can be treated by drinking fluids or using artificial saliva.

  • Autoimmune disorders may require prescription medications to treat or prevent flare-ups, including corticosteroids and immunosuppressants.

  • Other medical conditions may require prescription medications or surgery, but these interventions may not help the sense of taste.

Living with the loss of taste

Outside of treating the causes, healthcare professionals have no treatments or therapies to help recover taste. In cases where taste loss is a chronic condition, a few tips can help people adapt to their reduced taste. These include:

  • Drinking plenty of fluids and using a humidifier if there are problems with dry mouth—dry mouth can make taste less sensitive

  • Rinsing the mouth after eating

  • Using strong seasonings, particularly herbs, and spices—many seasonings are smelled rather than tasted, so they can make foods more flavorful if the sense of smell is still intact

  • Trying new foods—foods that used to be enjoyable may not be fun to eat anymore, but other foods that haven’t been eaten before might be enjoyable

  • Quitting smoking and avoiding second-hand smoke

  • Limiting exposure to toxins, chemicals, and allergens in the air by staying indoors and using an air purifier

  • Practicing good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing teeth regularly

  • Consciously eating a healthy diet to make sure there are enough nutrients—nutrient deficiencies, such as zinc or vitamin B-12 deficiency, can worsen loss of taste

RELATED: What happens when you quit smoking

Most importantly, see a healthcare professional if loss of taste persists for several weeks

If the loss of taste is noticeable and doesn’t improve in a few weeks, talk to a healthcare professional. While many people experience smell disorders, a loss of taste is relatively uncommon. Many causes of taste loss are relatively harmless, but there may be a more serious problem that needs evaluation, like nerve damage. Suppose a medical professional cannot recover a person’s taste. In that case, a doctor, nutritionist, or other healthcare provider can give useful medical advice on avoiding the most consequential complications of diminished taste: appetite loss, malnutrition, and weight loss. Preserving a healthy diet and a healthy body without a sense of taste requires planning and purposefulness. An experienced healthcare professional can help.

What’s next? Additional resources for people with the loss of taste

Test and diagnostics

Treatments

Scientific studies and clinical trials

Medically reviewed by Josephine Bawab, Pharm.D.
Licensed Pharmacist

Josephine Bawab, Pharm.D., graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy. She began working in community pharmacy in 2012 and has worked for multiple chain pharmacies since then. She is passionate about helping patients and precepting students. She currently works and resides in Virginia, where she is just a few minutes away from the beach.

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