Tongue Brushing, Dentifrice, and Age Effects on Taste and Smell

Abstract

Tongue brushing with and without dentifrice in young adult and old subjects affected taste detection thresholds, but not taste intensity scaling, for sucrose, NaCl, citric acid, and caffeine. Citric acid (sour) and caffeine (bitter) tasted significantly less intense in the older subjects. Olfactory detection thresholds for pyridine improved slightly after tongue brushing in the older subjects. © 1981, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved.