Clinical study of taste disorders caused by oral candidiasis

Abstract

Although it is known that various oral diseases can lead to taste disorders, only a few studies have reported on the relation between oral candidiasis and taste disorders. We investigated the incidence and features of taste disorders caused by oral candidiasis. The subjects were 79 patients with taste disorders in whom fungal cultures were performed at our clinic over the past 2 years. Culture tests revealed that 27 patients(34％)were positive for Candida species, among whom 24 received antifungal agents and 15 showed improvement in symptoms of taste disorders. A second fungal culture test after antifungal treatment revealed negative conversion in 13 patients and significantly reduced amounts of Candida species in 2 patients. Accordingly, these 15 patients(15/79, 19％) were given a diagnosis of taste disorders caused by oral candidiasis. Bitter phantogeusia, hypogeusia, and xerostomia were frequently noted in these patients with taste disorders due to candidiasis. Because about half of the patients with taste disorders and candidiasis showed a normal appearance of the tongue, fungal examinations should be conducted to confirm infectious agents and to exclude psychological phantogeusia.