Why Your Sense of Taste Suddenly Changes

Maybe you poured your usual morning cup of coffee, only to find it tasted oddly flat or like dirt. Or perhaps your go-to peanut butter toast seemed unexpectedly bland. A sudden change in taste can be unsettling, and while sometimes it’s harmless and temporary, it can also signal an underlying health issue.

“Changes in taste can occur for a variety of reasons,” explains Rachel Kaye, MD, assistant professor of otolaryngology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. “One of the most common has to do with the sense of smell, which is closely tied to taste perception.”

Sometimes the nerves that transmit taste signals or even the brain’s processing centers can be disrupted. This can result in:

• Hypogeusia: reduced taste sensitivity

• Ageusia: complete loss of taste

• Dysgeusia: distorted taste, where foods may seem metallic, bitter, or otherwise “off”

Here are eight common reasons your taste buds may suddenly go haywire — and when you should see a doctor.

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1. You Ate or Drank Something Too Hot

It sounds almost too simple, but burning your tongue on hot coffee, soup, or pizza can temporarily dull your taste receptors. The tongue’s surface contains delicate taste buds that need time to recover after a burn.

The good news: This problem is usually short-lived. Within a few days, as the tissue heals, your normal sense of taste typically returns.

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2. You Have a Cold or Allergies

Congestion from a cold, sinus infection, or allergies can block airflow to the olfactory nerves in your nose. Since smell plays a huge role in how we perceive flavor, food may suddenly seem bland or tasteless.

“When we get sick, the sense of smell goes, and that’s directly related to taste,” says Anthony Del Signore, MD, director of rhinology at Mount Sinai Union Square in New York.

Once the infection clears or allergy symptoms are treated, your sense of taste usually bounces back.

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3. You Have a Nasal Polyp

Sometimes repeated infections or chronic allergies cause sinus inflammation and the formation of nasal polyps — soft, noncancerous growths inside the nasal passages.

While polyps are typically harmless, they can block airflow and reduce your sense of smell, which in turn impacts taste.

Treatment options: Nasal sprays, saline rinses, oral steroids, or surgery in severe cases.

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4. You’re Taking a New Medication

Certain prescription drugs are well-known for causing taste disturbances. Examples include:

• Methimazole (for hyperthyroidism)

• Captopril (for high blood pressure)

• Griseofulvin (an antifungal)

• Lithium (for bipolar disorder)

• Various chemotherapy agents

If you notice taste changes after starting a new medication, ask your doctor if it’s a possible side effect and whether alternatives exist.

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5. You Have a Nutrient Deficiency

Nutrients are essential for healthy nerve and taste function. Deficiencies may cause taste alterations, including:

• Zinc deficiency, which can blunt or distort taste

• Vitamin B12 deficiency, which may inflame the tongue (glossitis) and cause burning, dryness, ulcers, or altered taste perception

Before starting supplements on your own, it’s best to have your levels tested. Taking incorrect doses can cause harm or interact with medications.

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6. You Have an Autoimmune Disorder

Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease, is another culprit. It causes widespread dryness, including in the mouth, where saliva is needed to dissolve food particles and stimulate taste buds.

With less saliva, patients often report metallic or bitter taste distortions. Additional symptoms can include:

• Dry eyes or nose

• Increased dental decay

• Digestive upset

• Joint or muscle pain

If suspected, your doctor will likely refer you to a rheumatologist for evaluation.

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7. You Have a Neurological Condition

The sense of taste depends on several cranial nerves. Any condition affecting these nerves — or the brain’s interpretation of taste signals — can alter flavor perception.

For example, Bell’s palsy (temporary facial paralysis) sometimes begins with taste changes before facial drooping sets in. While no single test diagnoses Bell’s palsy, doctors use symptoms and sometimes imaging to rule out other causes.

Other neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease or stroke, can also impair taste.

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8. You Have COVID-19

Loss of taste or smell has become a well-known early symptom of COVID-19. The coronavirus often targets olfactory nerves, and in some cases, patients experience taste loss even without smell changes.

“Patients may lose their sense of smell for three to seven days, but some experience distortions that last much longer,” Del Signore explains.

If you suddenly lose taste or smell — especially with other COVID-19 symptoms like fever, cough, or body aches — it’s important to get tested.

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The Takeaway

A sudden shift in how your food tastes isn’t always cause for alarm. It may be as minor as a burnt tongue or seasonal allergies. However, persistent or severe taste changes can point to:

• Infections (like COVID-19 or sinusitis)

• Medication side effects

• Nutrient deficiencies

• Autoimmune or neurological conditions

Because taste loss can sometimes be an early warning of broader health problems, it’s best to check in with your doctor if symptoms last more than a couple of weeks. With proper evaluation, the underlying cause can often be identified and treated — and your enjoyment of food restored.