Biography
Biography: Mario Tavolaro
Abstract
We tend to consider taste to be a minor sense, although gustatory perception is highly refined. Its physiology is poorly understood and the little is known about the symptoms of pathological conditions affecting taste. Taste is essentially an oral sense, and it is now widely accepted that we can perceive seven different basic tastes: sweet, salty, bitter, sour, umami, astringent and metallic. Taste is also linked to olfaction (the sense of smell) and salivation. Patients experiencing taste problems should undergo a detailed interview with their doctor, with the aim of identifying the cause of the problem. Buccal, ear-nose-and throat and neurological examinations should be carried out and chemical or electrical stimulation tests can also be very useful. Taste problems may have many different causes. They affect quality of life, reduce appetite and constitute a risk factor for under-nutrition. These conditions are difficult to treat, requiring elimination of the cause, the use of flavor enhancers or a change in diet according to the advice of a dietician. Any associated under-nutrition must be dealt with. This article focuses on post-traumatic dysguesia and its management in affected workers.