Mouth
Loss of taste
A reduced or altered sense of taste, where food tastes bland, odd or of nothing at all — usually tied to a blocked or inflamed nose, a viral infection or a dry, sore mouth, but occasionally, when it appears suddenly with face droop or slurred speech, a sign of a stroke.
Education and reference only. This explains the common causes of loss of taste and the warning signs that need urgent help, in plain language — it is not a diagnosis or a substitute for advice from a clinician. If you feel very unwell or are worried, seek medical help.
Quick answer
What is loss of taste?
What we call taste is really a blend of true taste from the tongue — sweet, salty, sour, bitter and savoury — and the much richer sense of flavour that comes from smell. Because the two are so linked, most people who feel they have lost their sense of taste have in fact lost their sense of smell, usually from a cold, flu, COVID-19 or an allergic, blocked nose.
- Get urgent help: Call 999 if loss of taste comes on suddenly with a drooping face, arm weakness or slurred speech — this may be a stroke, so act FAST. Seek urgent help if loss of taste arrives with a severe headache, confusion, numbness or trouble swallowing.
- Self-care: When loss of taste follows a cold or sits alongside a blocked nose, it usually improves as congestion clears, so easing the nose with hydration, steam and saline rinses helps.
About loss of taste
What we call taste is really a blend of true taste from the tongue — sweet, salty, sour, bitter and savoury — and the much richer sense of flavour that comes from smell. Because the two are so linked, most people who feel they have lost their sense of taste have in fact lost their sense of smell, usually from a cold, flu, COVID-19 or an allergic, blocked nose. Problems within the mouth itself can also dull taste: a very dry mouth, oral thrush or other infections coat the tongue and interfere with the taste buds. A gradual change can accompany some long-term conditions and certain medicines. Most loss of taste is temporary and recovers as the underlying infection or dryness settles. The important exception is a sudden change arriving with weakness, a drooping face or slurred speech, which points to a stroke and needs an emergency response.
When to get help
Call 999 or go to A&E if loss of taste comes with any of these warning signs:
- Call 999 if loss of taste comes on suddenly with a drooping face, arm weakness or slurred speech — this may be a stroke, so act FAST.
- Seek urgent help if loss of taste arrives with a severe headache, confusion, numbness or trouble swallowing.
- See your doctor promptly for a painful, white-coated or persistently sore mouth alongside altered taste.
- See your doctor if loss of taste is gradual, lasting and unexplained, especially with weight loss or a non-healing mouth sore.
- Seek same-day advice if altered taste follows a head injury or comes with new neurological symptoms.
When to see a doctor
A reduced sense of taste during a cold, flu or COVID-19 is common and usually recovers, so it does not normally need a doctor unless it persists beyond a few weeks. Treat a sudden change in taste with a drooping face, arm weakness or slurred speech as an emergency and call 999, as these are signs of a stroke. Book a routine appointment if taste is slow to return, is gradually fading without explanation, or comes with a persistently dry, sore or white-coated mouth so the cause can be examined and any mouth infection treated.
Not sure how urgent it is? It is always OK to call NHS 111 for advice, day or night.
What can cause it
Common causes of loss of taste
Loss of taste has many possible causes. Each links to a full, plain-language guide to that condition — what it is, how it's treated and when to seek help.
What helps
Self-care and what you can do
When loss of taste follows a cold or sits alongside a blocked nose, it usually improves as congestion clears, so easing the nose with hydration, steam and saline rinses helps. Good mouth care supports the taste buds: brush your teeth and tongue gently, stay well hydrated to relieve a dry mouth, and rinse the mouth after meals. If food tastes flat, eating becomes less enjoyable, so keep meals appealing with varied textures, temperatures and gentle seasoning, and take care not to over-salt or over-sweeten to compensate. Avoid smoking, which dulls taste further. If a dry or sore mouth seems to be the problem, a pharmacist can suggest measures to keep the mouth moist and comfortable.
Answers
Loss of taste: frequently asked questions
Is loss of taste really loss of smell?
Often, yes. Most flavour comes from smell, so a blocked or inflamed nose makes food taste bland even when the tongue still detects sweet and salty. That is why loss of taste and loss of smell so frequently occur together after a cold or virus.
When is loss of taste an emergency?
Call 999 immediately if taste changes suddenly along with a drooping face, weakness in one arm or slurred speech. This points to a stroke, where fast treatment matters, rather than a harmless effect of a cold or blocked nose.
Can a dry mouth affect my taste?
Yes. Saliva carries flavour molecules to the taste buds, so a dry mouth dulls taste. Infections such as oral thrush can do the same. Keeping the mouth moist and clean often helps, and a pharmacist can advise if dryness persists.
How long does loss of taste last after a virus?
It usually improves within a couple of weeks as the infection settles, though after some viral illnesses it can take longer. If taste has not recovered after a few weeks, or is fading without an obvious cause, see your doctor.
Sources
Where this is drawn from
- NICE CKS: Smell and taste disturbance.
- Stroke Association: recognising stroke (FAST).
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