COVID-19 Induced Taste Dysfunction and Recovery: Association with Smell Dysfunction and Oral Health Behaviour
<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Disruption to taste and smell are common symptoms of COVID-19 infection. The current literature overlooks taste symptoms and tends to focus on the sense of smell. Persisting cases (>28 days) of taste dysfunction are increasingly recognised as a major...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Medicina |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/58/6/715 |
| _version_ | 1827658680033607680 |
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| author | Georgia Catton Alexander Gardner |
| author_facet | Georgia Catton Alexander Gardner |
| author_sort | Georgia Catton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Background and Objectives</i>: Disruption to taste and smell are common symptoms of COVID-19 infection. The current literature overlooks taste symptoms and tends to focus on the sense of smell. Persisting cases (>28 days) of taste dysfunction are increasingly recognised as a major future healthcare challenge. This study focuses on the severity and recovery of COVID-19 induced taste loss and association with olfactory symptoms, lifestyle and oral health factors. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: This study was a cross-sectional survey comparing 182 rapid taste recovery participants (≤28 days) with 47 participants with prolonged taste recovery >28 days. Analyses of taste loss in association with smell loss, age, sex, illness severity, diet, BMI, vitamin-D supplementation, antidepressants, alcohol use, smoking, brushing frequency, flossing, missing teeth, appliances and number of dental restorations were conducted. Differences in the severity of the loss of sour, sweet, salt, bitter and umami tastes were explored. <i>Results</i>: Both the severity and the duration of taste and smell loss were closely correlated (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Salt taste was significantly less affected than all other taste qualities (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Persisting taste loss was associated with older age (mean ± 95% CI = 31.73 ± 1.23 years vs. 36.66 ± 3.59 years, <i>p</i> < 0.001) and reduced likelihood of using floss (odds ratio ± 95% CI = 2.22 (1.15–4.25), <i>p</i> = 0.047). <i>Conclusions</i>: Smell and taste loss in COVID-19 are closely related, although a minority of individuals can experience taste or smell dysfunction in the absence of the other. The taste of salt may be less severely affected than other taste qualities and future work exploring this finding objectively is indicated. The association of flossing with rapid taste recovery adds to the growing evidence of a link between good periodontal health and favourable COVID-19 outcomes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:07:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a0c9305b3b8a4fae8d8597c38b6c91ff |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:07:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medicina |
| spelling | doaj.art-a0c9305b3b8a4fae8d8597c38b6c91ff2023-11-23T17:51:17ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442022-05-0158671510.3390/medicina58060715COVID-19 Induced Taste Dysfunction and Recovery: Association with Smell Dysfunction and Oral Health BehaviourGeorgia Catton0Alexander Gardner1Department of Restorative Dentistry, Dundee Dental Hospital and School, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HR, UKDepartment of Restorative Dentistry, Dundee Dental Hospital and School, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HR, UK<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Disruption to taste and smell are common symptoms of COVID-19 infection. The current literature overlooks taste symptoms and tends to focus on the sense of smell. Persisting cases (>28 days) of taste dysfunction are increasingly recognised as a major future healthcare challenge. This study focuses on the severity and recovery of COVID-19 induced taste loss and association with olfactory symptoms, lifestyle and oral health factors. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: This study was a cross-sectional survey comparing 182 rapid taste recovery participants (≤28 days) with 47 participants with prolonged taste recovery >28 days. Analyses of taste loss in association with smell loss, age, sex, illness severity, diet, BMI, vitamin-D supplementation, antidepressants, alcohol use, smoking, brushing frequency, flossing, missing teeth, appliances and number of dental restorations were conducted. Differences in the severity of the loss of sour, sweet, salt, bitter and umami tastes were explored. <i>Results</i>: Both the severity and the duration of taste and smell loss were closely correlated (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Salt taste was significantly less affected than all other taste qualities (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Persisting taste loss was associated with older age (mean ± 95% CI = 31.73 ± 1.23 years vs. 36.66 ± 3.59 years, <i>p</i> < 0.001) and reduced likelihood of using floss (odds ratio ± 95% CI = 2.22 (1.15–4.25), <i>p</i> = 0.047). <i>Conclusions</i>: Smell and taste loss in COVID-19 are closely related, although a minority of individuals can experience taste or smell dysfunction in the absence of the other. The taste of salt may be less severely affected than other taste qualities and future work exploring this finding objectively is indicated. The association of flossing with rapid taste recovery adds to the growing evidence of a link between good periodontal health and favourable COVID-19 outcomes.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/58/6/715COVID-19taste dysfunctionoral healthdental care |
| spellingShingle | Georgia Catton Alexander Gardner COVID-19 Induced Taste Dysfunction and Recovery: Association with Smell Dysfunction and Oral Health Behaviour Medicina COVID-19 taste dysfunction oral health dental care |
| title | COVID-19 Induced Taste Dysfunction and Recovery: Association with Smell Dysfunction and Oral Health Behaviour |
| title_full | COVID-19 Induced Taste Dysfunction and Recovery: Association with Smell Dysfunction and Oral Health Behaviour |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19 Induced Taste Dysfunction and Recovery: Association with Smell Dysfunction and Oral Health Behaviour |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19 Induced Taste Dysfunction and Recovery: Association with Smell Dysfunction and Oral Health Behaviour |
| title_short | COVID-19 Induced Taste Dysfunction and Recovery: Association with Smell Dysfunction and Oral Health Behaviour |
| title_sort | covid 19 induced taste dysfunction and recovery association with smell dysfunction and oral health behaviour |
| topic | COVID-19 taste dysfunction oral health dental care |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/58/6/715 |
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