Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have found that wisdom tooth surgery can improve the sense of taste in the long term. The positive effects can be felt for years after the operation. The study results are surprising because it was previously assumed that the removal of theWisdom teeth negativeaffect the taste.
How does wisdom tooth surgery affect taste?
The study leader, deputy director of the Center for Taste and Smell at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Richard L. Doty explains: “Previous studies have shown a negative effect on the sense of taste after wisdom tooth surgery. Doctors have always assumed that this negative effect is lessened over time and that the taste buds recover. This study shows that the sense of taste can actually improve over the next 20 years. It is a surprising but very exciting study result. We should do further research to understand why this is and what it might mean from a medical perspective.”
Dr. Richard Doty, working with Dane Kim, a student at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, analyzed data in the medical records of 1,255 patients. All patients were examined at the Center for Smell and Taste. 891 of them had at least one wisdom tooth extracted.
The researchers also carried out a test with all test subjects to check their whole-mouth taste ability. Participants had to rinse their mouths with different solutions and then say whether the solution tasted salty, bitter, sour or sweet. The test group performed better in the test than the control group. The research team found that taste improved by 10 percent in people who had wisdom tooth surgery.
Doctors have several theories as to why this could be. So far, however, they have not been able to clearly prove any. Therefore, they point out that further studies are needed to better research the mechanisms of nerve recovery after wisdom tooth surgery. This could prove helpful for other patients as well.
