Can You Lose Your Sense of Smell and Taste as You Age?

Originally written July 24, 2019

You’ve enjoyed flavorful food since you were young. The spicier, the better. These days, though, it feels like food is blander than it used to be. Are people making food differently, or are you changing somehow?

In This Article...

1. How are your nose, mouth, and senses linked?
2. How can you lose your sense of smell?
3. How can you lose your sense of taste?
4. When should I see a doctor for loss of smell or taste?
5. Can CEENTA help with loss of smell or taste?

How are your nose, mouth, and senses linked?

Your sense of smell works when molecules stimulate receptors on the olfactory sensory neurons in the back of the nose, which send messages to your brain. Your sense of taste works when your taste buds – clusters of sensory cells connected to nerve fibers located primarily on the tongue – and your olfactory nerves send signals to your brain about the food you’re eating.

“Our sense of smell and taste are integral components to our daily experience of life,” CEENTA ENT doctor Darrell Klotz, MD, said. “These special senses enrich our life and are a powerful persuader of whether a place we are visiting, an experience we are having, or a meal we are eating is a positive one or not.”

How can you lose your sense of smell?

It is possible to lose your sense of smell as you age. About 25 percent of men and 11 percent of women between the ages of 60 and 69 have a smelling disorder. Some medications, such as blood pressure medicine, can also affect your sense of smell. Cancer treatments may also affect it.

Illness, polyps, chronic sinus infections, or a deviated septum might cause smelling issues, too. Any physical blockage to airflow or chronic inflammation in the nose, such as that seen in chronic sinusitis or smoking, can alter our sense of smell. Sometimes, a routine upper respiratory infection can leave us with a diminished sense of smell for months or even permanently alter our sense of smell due to injury to the smell receptors. 

"Injuries can sometimes lead to phantosmia, or smells that are not there," Dr. Klotz said. Head injuries can cause a brain to move violently within the confinement of the skull and shear the delicate nerve endings as they exit from the brain into the nose.

In more recent years, a loss of sense of smell is considered a symptom of COVID-19. If this is suspected, it is important to take an authorized COVID test.

How can you lose your sense of taste?

As you age, you can slowly lose your ability to regenerate taste buds. Like with your sense of smell, blood pressure medication and cancer treatments – as well as some other medicines – can diminish your ability to taste food. Since our sense of smell is so closely linked to our taste, people who have a primary loss of smell often state that their sense of taste is diminished as well.

Dental issues, like gum disease or a problem with dentures, can alter the way you taste food. Drinking alcohol and smoking can also be a factor.

When should I see a doctor for loss of smell or taste?

Fortunately, in most of these cases your senses of smell and taste will return with time or if you make changes in your life, such as getting different blood pressure medicine or quitting smoking. However, something like a head injury could lead to a permanent sensory loss.

While you may be mostly concerned about not getting to enjoy your favorite foods anymore, these sensory losses can be a sign of a more serious problem. For example, losing your sense of smell can be a sign of Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease.

That said, unless your sensory loss is due to one of the temporary problems listed above, there is not a lot that can be done to restore your sense of taste. While adding extra seasoning to your food can give it some extra flavor, exercise caution. You don’t want to add extra salt if you already have high blood pressure issues, for example.

Can CEENTA help with loss of smell or taste?

If you find you have troubles smelling or tasting and want to make sure it’s not a serious problem, visit a CEENTA doctor. Our ENT physicians will determine if you need more care or if you just need a bit more spice in your life. In addition, Dr. Roy Lewis at our Mooresville location offers a unique PRP anosmia treatment for patients who have had prolonged smell loss due to COVID-19.

To schedule your same-day ENT appointment with CEENTA at nearly twenty offices in the Carolinas, use our online portal or myCEENTAchart.

This blog is for informational purposes only. For specific medical questions, please consult your physician.