2001 Volume 32 Issue 1 Pages 71-83
Taste thresholds and factors related with sense of taste were investigated in 68 elderly subjects (aged 65-74, male: 23, female: 45) in the community at Yokohama area, Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. The taste test of salt by the questionnaire survey, the blood biochemistry test, the dental test, and whole mouth method was executed to all subjects. Taste test on salt was conducted by the whole mouth method 2 hours after their lunch to measure detection threshold (DT) and recognition threshold (RT). Mean DT and RT on salty taste were 3.7mM and 25.2mM for male and 2.2mM and 27.4mM for female, respectively. In female subjects, increased number of missing teeth tended to show higher DT (p<0.01). RT higher than 0.7% salt solution was defined as potentially decreased sense of taste and was found in 5 subjects (7.4%). Zinc defficiency was known as a main cause of taste disorders in the clinical settings. Although 9 subjects revealed low plasma concentration of zinc less than 0.8 ppm, no correlation with DT or RT was found. In conclusion, dental condition was the major factor affecting the sense of taste in the elderly. Since it was not clear about clinical meanings of low plasma zinc in the elderly, the follow-up study concerning the taste sensitivity and the plasma zinc levels among larger community was needed.
