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What Causes Loss Of Taste In Front Quarter Of Tongue And Dry Mouth?
Question: Hello,
I am currently cannot taste anything on the front quarter on my tongue. This is also accompanied with dry mouth. I did have a heavy metallic taste about a week ago but that has gone. The front portion of my tongue is irritated, and the whole tongue has a thin white tongue coat. The condition has persisted for approximately 4 weeks. I was prescribed a Nystatin rinse that I used until it was gone, that was about 2 weeks ago. Only other symptoms are a feeling that my ears are full and a very minor ache back left after my jaw before my ear. I saw the dentist and the took X-rays and did a cleaning but they didn't seem to find anything. Any ideas?
I am currently cannot taste anything on the front quarter on my tongue. This is also accompanied with dry mouth. I did have a heavy metallic taste about a week ago but that has gone. The front portion of my tongue is irritated, and the whole tongue has a thin white tongue coat. The condition has persisted for approximately 4 weeks. I was prescribed a Nystatin rinse that I used until it was gone, that was about 2 weeks ago. Only other symptoms are a feeling that my ears are full and a very minor ache back left after my jaw before my ear. I saw the dentist and the took X-rays and did a cleaning but they didn't seem to find anything. Any ideas?
Brief Answer:
you would need to be examined by a neurologist or ENT
Detailed Answer:
Good afternoon. Thank you for your question on this network. There are a variety of things that could result in loss of taste (which by the way is almost 100% of the time) connected to the sense of smell. Are you also lacking in this sensory modality?
There are not very many things that restrict loss of taste to the front 1/4 of the tongue as you've described. And that is partly why a neurologist should be the one to examine you. An MRI of the brain is likely going to be necessary with gadolinium contrast in order to specifically look into the brain-stem area to see if there is anything of a lesion that is compromising the pathways of taste since this is mediated by the Trigeminal nerve found virtually in the "middle" of the brain-stem.
If you've had any laboratory work performed please upload those studies so that I may review them.
I hope this addresses your concerns and that you'll keep me in mind for future questions regarding these or other neurological/medical issues. Feel free to upload images if you'd like.
Otherwise, I'd appreciate your rating this interaction with a HIGH STAR SCORE and look forward to a few words of feedback. In addition, I'd appreciate your CLOSING THIS QUERY if you're satisfied with my response.
Write to me any time at: bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional comments, concerns, or to provide status updates if you'd like which I would love to receive from you to see just what has been discovered.
Many thanks for using this service to ask your questions. Be well.
This consult request has taken a total of 12 minutes of time to read, research, and respond.
you would need to be examined by a neurologist or ENT
Detailed Answer:
Good afternoon. Thank you for your question on this network. There are a variety of things that could result in loss of taste (which by the way is almost 100% of the time) connected to the sense of smell. Are you also lacking in this sensory modality?
There are not very many things that restrict loss of taste to the front 1/4 of the tongue as you've described. And that is partly why a neurologist should be the one to examine you. An MRI of the brain is likely going to be necessary with gadolinium contrast in order to specifically look into the brain-stem area to see if there is anything of a lesion that is compromising the pathways of taste since this is mediated by the Trigeminal nerve found virtually in the "middle" of the brain-stem.
If you've had any laboratory work performed please upload those studies so that I may review them.
I hope this addresses your concerns and that you'll keep me in mind for future questions regarding these or other neurological/medical issues. Feel free to upload images if you'd like.
Otherwise, I'd appreciate your rating this interaction with a HIGH STAR SCORE and look forward to a few words of feedback. In addition, I'd appreciate your CLOSING THIS QUERY if you're satisfied with my response.
Write to me any time at: bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional comments, concerns, or to provide status updates if you'd like which I would love to receive from you to see just what has been discovered.
Many thanks for using this service to ask your questions. Be well.
This consult request has taken a total of 12 minutes of time to read, research, and respond.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I have uploaded 2 photos and some blood work. My sense of smell is not effected.
Brief Answer:
Recommendations as they are
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the photos and lab results and the information that your smell is not affected.
I've reviewed your photographs and in the 2nd photograph white punctate lesions over the front of the tongue on both sides are much more noticeable than in the first picture. You say that the dentist saw this tongue and did not comment anything on the white lesions? What is the origin or most likely cause of these white spots? Are you immunocompromised for any reason or has your tongue been contaminated or in contact with an infectious source?
Here is a list of medications that are known to alter the senses of smell and taste. If you've been placed on or are taking any of the following during any time period close to when you noticed the sense being altered or lost then, they could be responsible or at least contributing to the loss of taste?
Ampicillin, Azithromycin (Zithromax), Ciprofloxacin (Cipro), Clarithromycin (Biaxin),
Griseofulvin (Grisactin), Metronidazole (Flagyl), Ofloxacin (Floxin), Tetracycline,
Anticonvulsants, Carbamazepine (Tegretol), Phenytoin (Dilantin), Antidepressants,
Amitriptyline (Elavil), Clomipramine (Anafranil), Desipramine (Norpramin), Doxepin (Sinequan), Imipramine (Tofranil), Nortriptyline (Pamelor), Antihistamines and decongestants, Chlorpheniramine, Loratadine (Claritin), Pseudoephedrine,
Antihypertensives and cardiac medications, Acetazolamide (Diamox), Amiloride (Midamor), Betaxolol (Betoptic), Captopril (Capoten), Diltiazem (Cardizem), Enalapril (Vasotec), Hydrochlorothiazide (Esidix) and combinations, Nifedipine (Procardia), Nitroglycerin, Propranolol (Inderal), Spironolactone (Aldactone), Anti-inflammatory agents, Auranofin (Ridaura), Colchicine, Dexamethasone Decadron), Gold (Myochrysine), Hydrocortisone, Penicillamine (Cuprimine), Antimanic drug, Lithium, Antineoplastics, Cisplatin (Platinol), Doxorubicin (Adriamycin), Methotrexate (Rheumatrex), Vincristine (Oncovin), Antiparkinsonian agents, Levodopa (Larodopa; with carbidopa: Sinemet), Antipsychotics, Clozapine Clozaril), Trifluoperazine (Stelazine), Antithyroid agents, Methimazole (Tapazole),Propylthiouracil, Lipid-lowering agents, Fluvastatin (Lescol), Lovastatin, (Mevacor), Pravastatin (Pravachol), Muscle relaxants, Baclofen (Lioresal), Dantrolene (Dantrium),
I cannot find anything abnormal in the blood work you've enclosed but by the same token I think you should have the following tests included for this type of problem:
1. TSH, Free T4
3. Vitamin B3 and B12 in serum
4. Vitamin D in serum
5. serum zinc and copper
6. Heavy metal testing in serum
7. HIV test
I hope this addresses your concerns and that you'll keep me in mind for future questions regarding these or other neurological/medical issues. Feel free to upload images if you'd like.
Otherwise, I'd appreciate your rating this interaction with a HIGH STAR SCORE and look forward to a few words of feedback. In addition, I'd appreciate your CLOSING THIS QUERY if you're satisfied with my response.
Write to me any time at: bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional comments, concerns, or to provide status updates if you'd like which I would love to receive from you to see just what has been discovered.
Many thanks for using this service to ask your questions. Be well.
This consult request has taken a total of 60 minutes of time to read, research, and respond.
Recommendations as they are
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the photos and lab results and the information that your smell is not affected.
I've reviewed your photographs and in the 2nd photograph white punctate lesions over the front of the tongue on both sides are much more noticeable than in the first picture. You say that the dentist saw this tongue and did not comment anything on the white lesions? What is the origin or most likely cause of these white spots? Are you immunocompromised for any reason or has your tongue been contaminated or in contact with an infectious source?
Here is a list of medications that are known to alter the senses of smell and taste. If you've been placed on or are taking any of the following during any time period close to when you noticed the sense being altered or lost then, they could be responsible or at least contributing to the loss of taste?
Ampicillin, Azithromycin (Zithromax), Ciprofloxacin (Cipro), Clarithromycin (Biaxin),
Griseofulvin (Grisactin), Metronidazole (Flagyl), Ofloxacin (Floxin), Tetracycline,
Anticonvulsants, Carbamazepine (Tegretol), Phenytoin (Dilantin), Antidepressants,
Amitriptyline (Elavil), Clomipramine (Anafranil), Desipramine (Norpramin), Doxepin (Sinequan), Imipramine (Tofranil), Nortriptyline (Pamelor), Antihistamines and decongestants, Chlorpheniramine, Loratadine (Claritin), Pseudoephedrine,
Antihypertensives and cardiac medications, Acetazolamide (Diamox), Amiloride (Midamor), Betaxolol (Betoptic), Captopril (Capoten), Diltiazem (Cardizem), Enalapril (Vasotec), Hydrochlorothiazide (Esidix) and combinations, Nifedipine (Procardia), Nitroglycerin, Propranolol (Inderal), Spironolactone (Aldactone), Anti-inflammatory agents, Auranofin (Ridaura), Colchicine, Dexamethasone Decadron), Gold (Myochrysine), Hydrocortisone, Penicillamine (Cuprimine), Antimanic drug, Lithium, Antineoplastics, Cisplatin (Platinol), Doxorubicin (Adriamycin), Methotrexate (Rheumatrex), Vincristine (Oncovin), Antiparkinsonian agents, Levodopa (Larodopa; with carbidopa: Sinemet), Antipsychotics, Clozapine Clozaril), Trifluoperazine (Stelazine), Antithyroid agents, Methimazole (Tapazole),Propylthiouracil, Lipid-lowering agents, Fluvastatin (Lescol), Lovastatin, (Mevacor), Pravastatin (Pravachol), Muscle relaxants, Baclofen (Lioresal), Dantrolene (Dantrium),
I cannot find anything abnormal in the blood work you've enclosed but by the same token I think you should have the following tests included for this type of problem:
1. TSH, Free T4
3. Vitamin B3 and B12 in serum
4. Vitamin D in serum
5. serum zinc and copper
6. Heavy metal testing in serum
7. HIV test
I hope this addresses your concerns and that you'll keep me in mind for future questions regarding these or other neurological/medical issues. Feel free to upload images if you'd like.
Otherwise, I'd appreciate your rating this interaction with a HIGH STAR SCORE and look forward to a few words of feedback. In addition, I'd appreciate your CLOSING THIS QUERY if you're satisfied with my response.
Write to me any time at: bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional comments, concerns, or to provide status updates if you'd like which I would love to receive from you to see just what has been discovered.
Many thanks for using this service to ask your questions. Be well.
This consult request has taken a total of 60 minutes of time to read, research, and respond.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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