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. 2023 Aug;30(4):207-212.
doi: 10.21315/mjms2023.30.4.17. Epub 2023 Aug 24.

Bedside Examination Technique for Taste

Affiliations

Bedside Examination Technique for Taste

Mohammad Iskandar Sa'uadi et al. Malays J Med Sci. 2023 Aug.

Abstract

Taste disorders are uncommon and frequently unrecognised during neurological and even oral examinations. Nevertheless, understanding taste pathway, its disorders, as well as assessment of taste are crucial as it can reveal various oral, systemic and neurological pathologies that manifest as an alteration of taste. Multiple taste examination techniques have been described in the literature; however, certain techniques are complicated and may not be feasible. This paper describes the adoption of a relatively simple technique for taste assessment that can be performed at the bedside. The bedside detection of taste disorders will allow examiners to assign the patient for more detailed and invasive taste assessments.

Keywords: bedside examination technique for taste; taste disorders; taste pathway.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest None.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Six bottles of tastant materials (including one bottle of plain water) that were prepared with individual labels
Figure 2
Figure 2
Applicator sticks were used to easily deliver the right amount of tastant materials onto the patient’s tongue
Figure 3
Figure 3
The taste card that was printed for bedside examination

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