Why does everything taste bland

This funny taste may keep some people from eating healthy food. If this happens to you, try to:. For example, try eating brightly colored vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and tomatoes. Also, if your diet allows, flavor your food with a little butter, olive oil, cheese, nuts, or fresh herbs like sage, thyme, or rosemary.

To put some zing in your food, add mustard, hot pepper, onions, garlic, ginger, different spices, or lemon or lime juice. Choose foods that look good to you. He or she might suggest you see a specialist who treats people with smell and taste problems.

This kind of doctor is called an otolaryngologist oh-toh-lar-ing-gol-uh-jist , also known as an ENT which stands for ear, nose, and throat. An otolaryngologist works on problems related to the ear, nose, and throat, as well as the larynx voice box , mouth, and parts of the neck and face. The doctor may ask:. There are likely ways to help fix the problem. If not, the doctor can help you cope with the changes in smell and taste. Read about this topic in Spanish.

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Tongue thrust appears when the tongue presses forward too far in the mouth, resulting in an abnormal orthodontic condition called an open bite. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect.

Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph. Causes Change frequency Sudden change Repairing taste buds When to see a doctor Takeaway Human beings are born with around 10, taste buds , most of which are located directly on the tongue.

These taste buds help us enjoy the five primary tastes: sweet sour salty bitter umami Various factors can affect our taste buds and change the way we perceive taste, including aging, illness, and more. Causes of taste bud changes. How often do they change? What about a sudden change?

How to repair damaged taste buds. When to see a doctor. The bottom line. Read this next. Impaired Taste. Medically reviewed by University of Illinois. What Causes a Bitter Taste in the Mouth? Medically reviewed by Stacy Sampson, D. Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. Identifying and Treating Tongue-Tie in Adults. Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M.

According to MedlinePlus , this number decreases as you age, and each taste bud that remains also begins to shrink. Sensitivity to the five tastes sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami typically declines after age You might also experience dry mouth because your mouth produces less saliva as you age.

Dry mouth can also affect your sense of taste. Most people develop taste disorders after illness or injury, although some people are born with them. Common reasons for a loss of taste include the following:. Chewing food releases aromas that activate your sense of smell by way of a channel that links the roof of your throat to your nose. If this channel is blocked, odors can't reach your nose, resulting in foods tasting bland or feeling like there's no taste in your mouth.

Since there are so many different things that can cause a loss of taste, it's helpful to determine the cause before receiving treatment. As loss of taste could indicate a health problem, there's even more reason to figure out its cause before jumping to a treatment plan.

That's where an otolaryngologist also called an ENT comes into play. They will assess your taste loss with a physical examination of your ears, nose, throat, a dental examination, and a taste test. If the loss of taste is connected to an illness, such as a respiratory infection, you should regain your sense of taste once the condition is resolved.

If a particular medication is the cause, your doctor may recommend that you switch that medication to something else. If you've lost your sense of taste, you can do the following to make food taste better:. Improving and maintaining good oral care is another vital thing you can do to treat taste loss.

Dysgeusia can affect your taste in different ways. It can lower or eliminate your ability to taste in the five taste categories: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and savory. It can alter the way you taste, so sweet foods might taste bitter, for example. The senses of taste and smell are closely linked, and most of the time when people complain about losing their taste the problem lies with their sense of smell.

Stewart said. That could mean getting your dry mouth or infection under control or changing your medication. Vitamins and zinc may also help in a small number of people, Dr. Then, you can treat it and regain your enjoyment of food. To find a Banner Health otolaryngologist who can help treat your taste problems, visit bannerhealth.