Occurrence of taste disorders after endodontic treatment

Dysgeusia is defined as a distorted gustatory perception or persistent gustatory sensation in the absence of gustatory stimulants. Absence or disturbance of taste may not seem as important in comparison to the other senses we humans possess, but it may have a drastic impact on the quality of life, nutritional intake, and general state of health for the patient. Although the field of chemosensory disturbances is lacking in research as a whole, the prevalence and the impact on quality of life is better known for olfactory disorders than gustatory disorders. The study of taste and smell disorders is challenging due to the difficulties in obtaining objective data. Data on smell and taste tends to be subjective, and qualitative rather than quantitative. In this study, patients’ subjective and objective taste perception will be mapped using a variety of techniques.This project will attempt to map the gustatory function of patients complaining of a distorted sense of taste after endodontic treatment. We wish to examine this by using various techniques, including psychophysical tests and electrophysiological recordings.