Evaluation of young smokers and non-smokers with Electrogustometry and Contact Endoscopy

Sixty-two male subjects who served in the Greek military forces were randomly chosen for this study. Thirty-four were non-smokers and 28 smokers. Smokers were chosen on the basis of their habit to hold the cigarette at the centre of their lips. Taste thresholds were measured with Electrogustometry (EGM). The morphology and density of the fungiform papillae (fPap) at the tip of the tongue were examined with Contact Endoscopy (CE).There was found statistically important difference (p < 0.05) between the taste thresholds of the two groups although not all smokers presented with elevated taste thresholds: Six of them (21%) had taste thresholds similar to those of non-smokers. Differences concerning the shape and the vessels of the fungiform papillae between the groups were also detected. Fewer and flatter fPap were found in 22 smokers (79%).The majority of smokers shown elevated taste thresholds in comparison to non-smokers. Smoking is an important factor which can lead to decreased taste sensitivity. The combination of methods, such as EGM and CE, can provide useful information about the vascularisation of taste buds and their functional ability.Complete loss of taste is rather uncommon because the presence of four major afferent routes for taste provides substantial redundancy to the sensory communication for taste and a substantial back-up system in case of failure of any single nerve.There are two categories of taste measurement, whole mouth and regional tests. A preliminary evaluation of a patient suffering from taste disorders can be performed with the use of colourless solutions of sweet, bitter, sour and salt. More sophisticated is regional chemogustometry whereby chemicals are applied to part of the tongue using a piece of filter paper or a cotton swab [1]. Regional chemogustometry can also be performed using closed chambers cemented to the tongue [2].The simplest regional test for evaluation of taste is EGM. EGM was introduced in the clinical assessment of tas