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Oral Medicine: Lecture Notes

This document discusses the anatomy and function of taste buds, the basic tastes they can detect, and factors that can affect taste perception. It describes how taste buds contain receptor cells that detect molecules and transmit signals to nerves. Diagnosis of taste issues involves applying standardized concentrations of the basic tastes to the tongue and soft palate to identify and rate any perceptions. Potential treatments include addressing underlying causes, supplements like zinc or vitamin D, chewing food well, and medical referral if other disorders are suspected.

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273 views14 pages

Oral Medicine: Lecture Notes

This document discusses the anatomy and function of taste buds, the basic tastes they can detect, and factors that can affect taste perception. It describes how taste buds contain receptor cells that detect molecules and transmit signals to nerves. Diagnosis of taste issues involves applying standardized concentrations of the basic tastes to the tongue and soft palate to identify and rate any perceptions. Potential treatments include addressing underlying causes, supplements like zinc or vitamin D, chewing food well, and medical referral if other disorders are suspected.

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امجد شاكر
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Oral Medicine

Lecture Notes
Taste Abnormalities

Dr Abdullahi Alhashimi

12.10.15
The Taste Bud

• Taste sense organ


• Most of them are found in the papillae's of the tongue
• also found in the soft palate, epiglottis, larynx and
pharynx
• Number of taste buds in the human adult:
• Tongue: 10,000
• Soft palate: 2,500
• Epiglottis: 900
• Larynx and pharynx: 600
• Oropharynx: 250
• Basic tastes include Salt, Sour, Sweet, Bitter and
Umami.
Tasting mechanism

• Each taste bud contains a


few supporting cells that
lie in the periphery.
• The cells are closely
associated with club-
shaped sensory nerve
endings that penetrates
the taste bud.
• Taste stimuli are
generated by the
adsorption of molecules
onto membrane receptors
on the surface of the
taste bud cells.
Tasting mechanism

• mediated by membrane
associated proteins such
as transducin and
gustducin.
• This stimulates
unmyelinated afferent
fibres which surrounds
the lower half of the
taste cell
TASTE CHANGES
• Genetics e.g. supertasters
• Hormones e.g. during pregnancy
• Age taste buds declines
• Drugs taste can be suppressed by local
anaesthetics applied to the tongue.
Diagnosis
• Taste detection can be measured by applying
the selected solution to precise regions of
the oral mucosa.
• Four standardized sizes of filter paper are
soaked with strong concentrations of the 4
basic tastes. The papers are randomly placed
on the 4 quadrants of the tongue and on both
sides of the soft palate.
• Patients then identify the quality of the taste
and rate its intensity.
• Tastes used are:
• sucrose for sweet taste
• vinegar or citric acid to produce sour
taste
• sodium chloride for the taste of salt
• quinine for bitter.
Treatment
• Treat the cause, if possible
• zinc or vitamin D have been successful in
some patients.
• Advise patients to chew food well to
increase the release of tastants and saliva
production, and drink well.
• Refer for a medical opinion if there are
any endocrine or neuropsychiatric
disorders.

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