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Cited by 87Smoking Behavior and CessationBiochemical Analysis and Sensing TechniquesOlfactory and Sensory Function Studies

Effect of cigarette smoke on gustatory sensitivity, evaluation of the deficit and of the recovery time-course after smoking cessation

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Chéruel, Fabrice, Jarlier, Marta, Sancho-Garnier, Hélène·2017·Tobacco Induced Diseases
DOI 10.1186/s12971-017-0120-4PMC PMC5329949
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Abstract

Background: Study results have shown that chronic exposure to cigarette smoke affects the taste function in humans.However, neither the quantitative impact on taste sensitivity nor the time-course of taste recovery on stopping smoking have been precisely examined.Methods: The experimental design included 2 phases, (i) a case-control phase comparing the taste sensitivity level measured by Electrogustometric (EGM) thresholds from various parts of the tongue (locus) between smokers (n = 83) and non-smokers (n = 48), (ii) a follow-up study looking at the taste sensitivity recovery in smokers after smoking cessation (n = 24) and compared with non-smokers.Results: Smokers exhibited significantly lower taste sensitivity than non-smokers -the higher the nicotine dependence (Fagerström scores), the lower the taste sensitivity.After smoking cessation, EGM thresholds decreased progressively, and reached the taste sensitivity range of non-smokers depending on locus and time.After 2 weeks a recovery could be observed on the 3 Tip and the 2 edge loci; the recovery in the posterior loci was complete after 9 weeks, and in the dorsal loci recovery was observed only after 2 months or more.Conclusions: Smoking cessation does lead to a rapid recovery of taste sensitivity among smokers, with recovery time found to differ based on the sensitivity of loci of the tongue.The use of EGM could potentially be explored as a motivational tool for smoking cessation.

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  • After smoking cessation, taste sensitivity tends to improve over time, approaching levels observed in non-smokers.

    “Notably, after smoking cessation, taste sensitivity tends to improve over time; approaching levels observed in non-smokers [17].”

    From Smoking and its impact on eating behavior: A review (2026) · cites this paper as [17]

  • Smoking impairs gustatory sensitivity, leading to diminished taste perception; smokers exhibit significantly decreased taste sensation compared to non-smokers, with higher nicotine dependence correlating with greater taste deficits.

    “Cigarette smoking can impair gustatory sensitivity, leading to diminished taste perception. Studies have found that smokers exhibit significantly decreased taste sensation compared to non- smokers, with higher nicotine dependence correlating with greater taste deficits.”

    From Smoking and its impact on eating behavior: A review (2026) · cites this paper as [17]

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

  • Smoking and its impact on eating behavior: A review

    Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, M. A. D. C. A. H., Prabhakar, M., Bottu, K., Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, M. A. D. C. A. H., Chaly, P. E., Department of Public Health Dentistry, M. A. D. C. A. H., S.G, R. K., Department of Public Health Dentistry, T. G. D. C. A. H., M, A., & Department of Psychiatry, M. M. C. H. A. R. I. (2026) · Bioinformation · doi:10.6026/973206300220132

Authors
Chéruel, F., Jarlier, M., & Sancho-Garnier, H.
Affiliations
  • Université Paris-Sud (FR)
  • Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (FR)
Corresponding author
Chéruel, Fabrice
ORCID
Venue
Tobacco Induced Diseases
Publisher
E.U. European Publishing
Published
2017-02-28
Volume
15
Issue
1
Pages
15-15
ISSN
1617-9625 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1186/s12971-017-0120-4
PMC
PMC5329949
OpenAlex
W2592633296
Cited by
87
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 1
FWCI
6.27
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Tobacco Induced Diseases (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique
  • Université Paris-Sud
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Smoking Behavior and Cessation
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
Keywords
cigarette smoke, taste sensitivity, gustatory function, smoking cessation, taste recovery, nicotine dependence, Fagerström score, electrogustometry, smokers versus non-smokers

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