From a delicious piece of chocolate to a lip-puckering slice of lemon, our sense of taste is complex, powerful and a source of pleasure for many of us. But even though we use our sense of taste multiple times a day, most people don’t really stop to think about how (or why) it works.  

While you may already know that a lot of what we call taste comes from the tongue – specifically the thousands of tiny tastebuds that cover it – but what might be news to you is that “taste” is really made up of a bundle of different sensations combined together. Temperature, texture, smell and spiciness all play their own part in creating the flavours of our favourite dishes. That said, the tongue still does most of the heavy lifting when it comes to taste. When food comes into contact with the tastebuds on your tongue, chemical signals are sent to your brain that tell you what to "taste”.

So far, scientists have identified five different unique tastes that humans can perceive (and they’re always looking for more):  

1. Sweet – a taste that comes primarily from sugars like glucose, fructose or lactose

2. Salty – a taste that comes from the crystallized combination of sodium and chloride, AKA salt

3. Sour – a taste that comes from acidic foods like citrus fruits or vinegars

4. Bitter – a complex taste that is biologically linked to our ability to discern potentially dangerous plants

5. Savoury (or umami) – a taste that usually comes from amino acids found in proteins like meat, cheese or asparagus

It’s commonly believed that different areas of the tongue are responsible for the different types of taste, but this is actually a myth, as all parts of the tongue can taste each kind of taste. However, the sides of the tongue are typically more sensitive to taste than the middle, and the back of the tongue is uniquely sensitive to bitter flavours – researchers think that this is to help us identify (and spit out) poisonous or harmful foods.  

Something else you might take for granted is how your oral health is linked to your sense of taste. Oral health problems like gum disease, infections, dry mouth, cavities or tooth decay can all impact your sense of taste, altering or even reducing your ability to taste. Even common dental procedures like fillings can temporarily alter how foods taste.  

If you’re experiencing issues with your sense of taste, it might be a problem with your teeth, so we might have the solution!  Our team of dental professionals can help you get your tongue, teeth and tastebuds back in tiptop shape.