Cigarette smokers have fewer and flatter taste buds according to a small study out today.
A study by BioMed Central of 62 Greek soldiers has shown how cigarettes deaden the ability to taste.
The study will be published in BioMed Central's journal Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders. Researchers used an electrical current to the tongue to produce a unique metallic taste. It was measured how long people took to perceive the sensation to judge taste sensitivity.
The 28 smokers in the group scored worse than the 34 non-smokers.
Pavlidis Pavlos, who led the team of researchers from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, said: 'Statistically important differences between the taste thresholds of smokers and non-smokers were detected. Differences concerning the shape and the vascularisation of fungiform papillae were also observed.'
Upon close examination with a contact endoscope, the smoker's tongues had flatter fungiform papillae, with a reduced blood supply.
A study by BioMed Central of 62 Greek soldiers has shown how cigarettes deaden the ability to taste.
The study will be published in BioMed Central's journal Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders. Researchers used an electrical current to the tongue to produce a unique metallic taste. It was measured how long people took to perceive the sensation to judge taste sensitivity.
The 28 smokers in the group scored worse than the 34 non-smokers.
Pavlidis Pavlos, who led the team of researchers from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, said: 'Statistically important differences between the taste thresholds of smokers and non-smokers were detected. Differences concerning the shape and the vascularisation of fungiform papillae were also observed.'
Upon close examination with a contact endoscope, the smoker's tongues had flatter fungiform papillae, with a reduced blood supply.
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