The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of smoking on taste and smell impairment in a large population- based study. Cross-sectional survey in Dortmund, Germany. The population sample was randomly drawn from the city’s central registration office. Following a standardized interview, validated taste and smell tests were performed. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression was used in the analysis. Among the 1312 study participants, 3.6 % were functionally anosmic, and 18 % had olfactory dysfunction. Approximately 20 % recognized only three or less of the four tastes when presented at suprathreshold concentrations, indicating signs of taste impairment. Current smoking in general increased the risk for impairment of olfactory function (odds ratio 1.71, 95 % CI 1.19–2.47), but not the risk for taste impairment. Heavy smokers of 20 or more cigarettes/day had significant increased risks for impairment in both senses. Our results reveal that both olfactory and gustatory function are compromised in a significant proportion of the general population. Smoking increases significantly the risk of impairment of olfactory function. Our findings add an important detail to the large body of evidence that describes adverse health effects of smoking.

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs00415-008-0807-9.pdf

The association between smoking and smell and taste impairment in the general population

Answer questions and earn CME/CNE Oral complications resulting from cancer and cancer therapies cause acute and late toxicities that may be underreported, underrecognized, and undertreated. Recent advances in cancer treatment have led to changes in the incidence, nature, and severity of oral complications. As the number of survivors increases, it is becoming increasingly recognized that the aggressive management of oral toxicities is needed to ensure optimal long-term oral health and general well-being. Advances in care have had an impact on previously recognized oral complications and are leading to newly recognized adverse effects. Here, the authors briefly review advances in cancer therapy, including recent advances in surgery, oral care, radiation therapy, hematopoietic cell transplantation, and medical oncology; describe how these advances affect oral health; and discuss the frequent and/or severe oral health complications associated with cancer and cancer treatment and their effect upon long-term health. Although some of the acute oral toxicities of cancer therapies may be reduced, they remain essentially unavoidable. The significant impact of long-term complications requires increased awareness and recognition to promote prevention and appropriate intervention. It is therefore important for the primary oncologist to be aware of these complications so that appropriate measures can be implemented in a timely manner. Prevention and management is best provided via multidisciplinary health care teams, which must be integrated and communicate effectively in order to provide the best patient care in a coordinated manner at the appropriate time.

Oral complications of cancer and cancer therapy: from cancer treatment to survivorship.

Objective
To elaborate normative values for a clinical psychophysical taste test (“Taste Strips”).

/pdf/taste-strips-a-rapid-lateralized-gustatory-bedside-5fy3f1mo6z.pdf

"Taste Strips" - a rapid, lateralized, gustatory bedside identification test based on impregnated filter papers.

Purpose Smell and taste changes during chemotherapy are significant complaints of cancer patients. Loss of olfactory/gustatory function can lead to malnutrition, weight loss, and possibly a prolonged morbidity of chemotherapy-induced adverse effects, decreased quality of life, poor compliance, and even decreased therapy response. This prospective study comprehensively investigated, to our knowledge for the first time, smell and taste changes in a cohort of 87 patients undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer or gynecologic malignancies. Patients and Methods Olfactory function was tested using Sniffin' Sticks (Burghart; Wedel, Germany) and gustatory function was tested using taste strips before, during, and immediately and 3 months after chemotherapy. Results Olfactory and gustatory function significantly decreased during chemotherapy and recovered almost completely 3 months after chemotherapy. Scores of odor thresholds were affected more than those of discrimination or identification. The olfactory funct...

Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of Taste and Smell Changes in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer or Gynecologic Malignancies

Smell and taste disorders can markedly affect the quality of life. In recent years we have become much better in the assessment of the ability to smell and taste. In addition, information is now available to say something about the prognosis of individual patients. With regard to therapy there also seems to be low but steady progress. Of special importance for the treatment is the ability of the olfactory epithelium to regenerate.

Smell and taste disorders.

Assessment of gustatory sensitivity in a clinical setting is the prerequisite for correct diagnosis and adequate treatment of taste dysfunction. Despite of this, no taste test has been established for the routine clinical testing. The aim of the present study was to create a protocol which is easy to administer. The presently used technique is based on strips made from filter paper which were impregnated with different taste solutions (four concentrations each for sweet, sour, salty and bitter). These strips are placed on the tongue and subjects are asked to identify the taste quality. After establishing the concentration range of the taste solutions, the test was tried in 69 subjects. Each subject received eighteen taste strips (four concentrations of each taste quality plus two blanks) in a pseudo-randomized sequence. Results from this new procedure correlated significantly with the results of the well established extensive three-drop-technique (r69 = 0.67). Repeated measures indicated good reproducibility of the results for the taste strips (r69 = 0.68). These data suggest the usefulness of this new technique in routine clinical practice. Major advantages are long shelf-life, convenience of administration, short time needed for testing (approximately 8 min), and the possibility to test each side of the tongue separately.

K Stiassny

Papers

Quantitative assessment of gustatory function in a clinical context using impregnated "taste strips".