Taste Buds on Tongue

What are taste buds?

Taste Buds on Tongue – The tongue has tiny sensory organs on its surface, referred to as taste buds. These taste buds possess highly sensitive microvilli (microscopic hairs), having neuroreceptors to send signals (taste messages) to the brain. The chemical reaction between the nerve endings and the food determines the type of taste the food has, salty, sweet, bitter, or sour. 

What is Gustation?

Gustation is the biological process of sensing taste. This chemoreception allows us to distinguish tasty food from tasteless and unpleasant food.

How Do Taste Buds Work? And How Many Taste Buds Do Humans Have?

The number of taste buds on a person’s tongue can range from 2000 to 8000, and these are replaced with new taste buds in 8-12 days, or sometimes longer.

Anatomy of taste buds 

Distribution of taste buds on the tongue

The majority of the taste buds are located on the tongue and palate. However, these multicellular buds can also be present throughout the oral cavity. Taste buds are composed of neuroepithelial receptor cells developed in the oral cavity in around 10 days. Every human being has unique molecular features of taste buds.

Types of taste buds on the tongue

Papillae on the surface of the tongue contain the taste buds; there are 3 kinds of papillae:

1. 1. Fungiform taste buds papillae: These papillae are present in the anterior part of the tongue, with a mushroom-like shape.
2. 2. Circumvallate taste buds papillae: These papillae are positioned in the posterior part of the tongue, with an inverted V-shape. 
3. 3. Foliate taste buds papillae: These papillae are positioned on the tongue’s lateral sides. 
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Taste bud cells are categorised into 5 types:

1. 1. Type I- Glial-like cells 
2. 2. Type II- G protein-coupled taste receptors cells, responsible for sensing sweet, savoury and bitter taste types. These cells secrete acetylcholine and adenosine triphosphate neurotransmitters.
3. 3. Type III- Presynaptic cells, responsible for sour taste. These cells secrete gamma-aminobutyric acid, norepinephrine neurotransmitters and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine).
4. 4. Basal cells
5. 5. Neuronal processes 
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Preventing or healing damaged taste buds

Inflamed or swollen taste buds may hinder enjoying delicious food. This irritation may arise from a dry mouth, eating extremely hot food, spicy food, or allergies. Damaged taste buds can be recovered or healed by following the below-given tips:

Easy tips for healing the inflamed taste buds

1. 1. Rinse the mouth with salt water twice a day
2. 2. Pressing the ice cube against the inflamed area on the tongue’s surface thrice a day will soothe the inflamed region.
3. 3. Soft Toothbrush: At times, inflamed taste buds might be due to food particles or grime on the tongue. Brushing the teeth with a soft toothbrush and a medicated toothpaste will help in getting rid of the grime and hence, the inflammations.
4. 4. Eat Soothing Foods: Opting for cool and creamy foods like smoothies, curd, and ice cream, will work until the taste buds are healed completely. 
5. 5. Avoid smoking, alcohol, and tobacco
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Treatment of Tongue Cancer

Tongue Cancer Treatment Naturally

Natural remedies cannot completely cure tongue cancer. However, alternative or complementary medicine treatments may aid in coping with the side effects of tongue cancer treatment, like fatigue.

Swollen taste Buds on the Tongue

Some of the major causes of swollen taste buds are

1. 1. Hot food or drink; the burn and inflammation due to hot food intake cause the taste buds to swell up
2. 2. Bacterial or viral infections: Scarlet fever, or other bacterial and viral attacks, result in inflamed reddish pink tongue and swelling of taste buds.
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What is dysgeusia?

Dysgeusia is a taste disorder in which a person experiences an altered taste perception. 

Bitter taste buds on the tongue

There are various reasons for bitter taste in the mouth. The most common cause is poor oral hygiene. At the same time, the most serious issues include acid reflux and yeast infections.

Poor oral hygiene

In the morning, the build-up of saliva and bacterial growth of teeth, gums and tongue can often lead to a difference in taste perception and bad breath.

To avoid bitter taste or bad breath, brush your teeth in the morning and before going to bed and clean the tongue to remove bacterial and food particles, which develop a coating over the tongue’s surface. This grime (food or bacterial coating) covers the taste buds, distorting the sense of taste and foul breath.

Antidepressants and antibiotics

Antidepressant drugs can lead to a dry mouth, resulting in odd taste perception. After ingestion and absorption in the body, various antibiotic drugs are released in saliva, which results in a bitter taste in the mouth, like tetracycline, allopurinol (gout medication), and lithium. 

Pregnancy

Dysgeusia, a change in taste perception, is observed in pregnant women in the third trimester. This condition arises due to hormonal imbalance in the body.

Pregnant women are advised to suck on lemon popsicles to eliminate the bitter taste.

4. Vitamin supplements

A bitter or metallic taste in the mouth can be due to vitamin supplements rich in metallic substances, including copper, zinc, iron, and chromium. 

5. Liver problems

Abnormal liver leads to the accumulation of large amounts of ammonia. Ammonia is toxic for the body and needs to be eliminated in the form of urea. The increased amount of ammonia in the body cause change in taste. 

6. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

When the stomach returns to the oesophagus during digestion, the acid flows back into the oral cavity travelling the oesophagus, which results in a bitter taste. 

7. Respiratory infections

Upper respiratory tract infections like rhinitis, cold, sinusitis or tonsillitis can produce a bitter taste by releasing bacterial by-products in the mouth. 

What are the 5 tastes on your tongue?

5 types of tastes a human being can sense include salty, sweet, bitter, savoury and sour. 

What are the 4 taste buds of the tongue?

The sensory organs present in the oral cavity which are responsible for the perception of taste are taste buds. These taste buds allow individuals to experience sweet, salty, bitter and sour foods.

What causes inflamed taste buds on your tongue?

Inflamed or swollen taste buds on the tongue may hinder enjoying your favourite food. This irritation may arise from a dry mouth, eating extremely hot food, spicy food, or allergies. Damaged taste buds can be recovered or healed by following the below-given tips:

Easy tips for healing the damaged taste buds

1. 1. Rinse the mouth with salt water twice a day
2. 2. Pressing the ice cube against the inflamed area on the tongue’s surface thrice a day will soothe the inflamed region.
3. 3. Soft Toothbrush: At times, inflamed taste buds might be due to food particles or grime on the tongue. Brushing the teeth with a soft toothbrush and a medicated toothpaste will help in getting rid of the grime and hence, the inflammations.
4. 4. Eat Soothing Foods: Opting for cool and creamy foods like smoothies, curd, and ice cream, will work until the taste buds are healed completely. 
5. 5. Avoid smoking, alcohol, and tobacco
6.  

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