2023-07-01 14:00:00
Salty, sweet, sour, bitter, umami and fatty: these are the six tastes that are normally distinguished by human taste buds. In case of dysgeusia, a disorder of taste perception, people who have it no longer feel these six flavors. On the contrary, they have a parasitic taste (bitter, metallic, acid, sweet, etc.) which persists in the mouth. This can be permanently or at the time of consumption of all or part of the food according to theGustave Roussy Institute.
A taste perception disorder linked to different factors
The causes are multiple: modification of the oral flora (due for example to poor oral hygiene or to a tumor in the throat or tongue, etc.), inflammation of the oral mucosa, destruction of the taste buds by certain chemotherapies , dry mouth and lack of saliva, decreased sense of smell (due to smoking for example).
“Nearly one person out of 6 suffers from taste disorders at the time of their cancer diagnosis, explains the Gustave Roussy Institute. During treatment, this frequency increases since more than half of patients undergoing chemotherapy and more than 90% of patients receiving radiotherapy to the throat and mouth have taste disorders during treatment.”
Limit the symptoms of this disorder
What to do if you have this disorder? The first thing to do is talk to your doctor about it because it can be a sign of a more serious condition, such as cancer. You have to understand the cause.
As for the symptoms, there is no cure. It is therefore necessary to act on the factors: stop – or limit if stopping is difficult – tobacco, have good oral hygiene (ideally, brushing your teeth three times a day, after each meal) and adapt your diet . To continue to eat in sufficient quantity despite this disorder, the Gustave Roussy Institute recommends splitting food intake, trying different methods of preparing and cooking food or adding flavor enhancers.
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