What helps your taste come back? A comprehensive guide

September 28, 2025 •

5 min read

The human sense of taste, closely tied to our sense of smell, is a complex sensory experience that can be temporarily or permanently altered by various factors, including illness and medication. Understanding what helps your taste come back can be crucial for improving quality of life and ensuring adequate nutrition.

Quick Summary

Regaining your sense of taste often involves addressing the underlying cause, such as illness or medication side effects, alongside targeted therapies like olfactory training, incorporating specific flavorful foods, and maintaining excellent oral hygiene.

Key Points

Address the Cause: Taste loss is often caused by an underlying issue, such as a viral infection, medication, or poor oral hygiene, and recovery starts with addressing that root cause.
Try Olfactory Training: Regularly sniffing a set of strong, distinct scents (like lemon, clove, or rose) can help retrain your olfactory nerves, which are closely linked to taste.
Adjust Your Diet: Introduce intense flavors like lemon juice, strong herbs, and spices, and play with different food textures and temperatures to stimulate your taste buds.
Maintain Oral Health: Proper oral hygiene and staying hydrated are crucial, as a dry mouth or gum disease can significantly affect your ability to taste.
Be Patient: The recovery process can take time, especially after an illness like COVID-19. Consistency with olfactory training and dietary changes is more important than immediate results.
Consult a Professional: If taste loss is severe, persistent, or without an obvious cause, see a doctor or an ENT specialist to rule out more serious medical conditions.

Understanding the Causes of Taste Loss

Before exploring remedies, it's important to understand why taste might be diminished or lost. Taste perception, a combination of signals from your taste buds and olfactory nerves, can be affected by numerous conditions. Common culprits include viral infections like the flu, the common cold, and COVID-19, which can temporarily damage the nerves responsible for taste and smell. Other factors include head injuries, neurological disorders such as Parkinson's or dementia, poor oral hygiene, and the aging process itself. Some medications, including certain antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs, can also cause a temporary alteration or loss of taste, a condition known as ageusia. Zinc deficiency has also been linked to taste disturbances, making it a potential dietary factor to consider.

The Link Between Smell and Taste

Many people who report losing their sense of taste are actually experiencing a loss of smell (anosmia). The two senses work together, with retronasal olfaction—the aroma of food reaching the olfactory receptors through the back of the throat—contributing significantly to flavor perception. This is why simple measures like smell training can often be effective for those trying to regain their taste.

Scientifically-Backed Methods to Regain Taste

Olfactory Training (Smell Training)

Olfactory training, or smell training, is one of the most effective and widely recommended methods for restoring a compromised sense of taste and smell. It is particularly useful for recovering from viral illnesses. The process involves systematically sniffing a set of four distinct scents twice daily for several months.

How it works: The consistent, mindful smelling of strong odors helps stimulate the olfactory nerve pathways, encouraging the brain's neuroplasticity to form new connections.
Essential kit: You will need four essential oils or everyday items with strong, distinct scents. Common choices include:
- Floral: rose or eucalyptus
- Fruity: lemon or orange
- Resinous: clove or frankincense
- Spicy: cinnamon or peppermint
The process: Hold each scent to your nose for about 10-15 seconds, focusing your mind on what the scent should smell like. Take a short break and move on to the next one. Repeat the full set twice a day, every day.

Dietary Adjustments

Adjusting your diet can help stimulate taste buds and improve the perception of flavor. For those struggling, focusing on strong, bold, and contrasting flavors can make food more appealing.

Sour sensations: Sour and tart foods like lemon juice, citrus fruits, and vinegars can stimulate saliva production, which is essential for taste perception. Try starting a meal with a squeeze of lemon or a small amount of sorbet.
Herbs and spices: Boost flavor with fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, and rosemary, or strong seasonings like garlic, onion, and chili powder. Adding condiments with intense flavors can also help.
Varying textures and temperatures: Some individuals may find that cold or frozen foods, like smoothies or ice cream, are more palatable than hot meals. Combining different textures, such as creamy yogurt with crunchy nuts, can also heighten the sensory experience.

Oral Hygiene and Hydration

Maintaining a clean, moist mouth is fundamental to a functioning sense of taste. A dry mouth can significantly inhibit taste perception.

Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep your mouth moist and stimulate saliva production.
Brush and floss: Regular brushing and flossing can prevent gum disease and other oral infections that can alter taste.

Practical Steps and Considerations

What to do after an illness

For those recovering from a viral infection like a cold or COVID-19, patience is key. Most people will see their taste return naturally over several weeks, but some may need to actively engage in the recovery process. Starting olfactory training early has been shown to be beneficial. Incorporating highly aromatic and textured foods into your diet can also assist.

Comparing Taste Recovery Strategies


Strategy	Mechanism	Recommended for	Considerations
Olfactory Training	Retrains the brain's olfactory pathways to improve smell, which is key for taste.	Viral infections, post-COVID-19 taste loss, general anosmia.	Requires consistent, daily practice for several months. Results vary among individuals.
Dietary Modification	Stimulates taste buds with strong, varied flavors and textures.	All cases of taste loss; particularly helpful for those finding food unappealing.	Best used in combination with other methods. Focus on a variety of sweet, salty, spicy, and sour foods.
Oral Hygiene	Removes debris and prevents infections that can interfere with taste buds.	Everyone, but essential for those with altered taste or oral health issues.	Simple and foundational. Improves overall oral health, which is a prerequisite for good taste.
Supplementation	Corrects nutritional deficiencies, such as zinc, that can impact taste function.	Individuals with confirmed deficiencies. Consultation with a doctor is necessary.	Do not self-prescribe supplements without medical advice. May not be effective for all causes.
Consultation with an ENT	Medical diagnosis and targeted treatment for underlying medical conditions.	Persistent or severe taste loss without an obvious cause.	Most effective for identifying and addressing conditions that require medical intervention.

The Role of Supplements

While some supplements are touted as cures, it's crucial to consult a healthcare provider before starting any regimen. Zinc deficiency can contribute to taste and smell disorders, and supplementation has been shown to help in some cases. However, the general effectiveness of supplements like zinc or Vitamin A for taste loss not related to a specific deficiency is debated. Always discuss any supplement plans with a doctor to ensure safety and effectiveness.

Conclusion: A Multi-faceted Approach

There is no single magic bullet for bringing back your sense of taste, but a multi-faceted approach offers the best chances of success. By addressing the root cause, engaging in therapeutic exercises like olfactory training, and making smart dietary and lifestyle adjustments, you can actively participate in your recovery. Patience and persistence are vital, as the healing of sensory nerves can be a gradual process. If your taste loss is severe, persistent, or not linked to a recent illness, a consultation with a healthcare professional, such as an ENT (Otolaryngologist), is recommended to rule out more serious underlying conditions.

Note: This article provides general health information. Please consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized medical advice regarding any health condition.

For more information on the intricate connection between smell and taste, you can read more from authoritative sources like the Cleveland Clinic.

Frequently Asked Questions

For most people, taste returns gradually as they recover from the illness, typically within a few weeks. However, for some, especially after illnesses like COVID-19, it can take longer, and active measures like olfactory training may be needed for full recovery.

Yes, incorporating foods with strong, distinct flavors and textures can help stimulate your taste buds. Examples include sour items like lemon, aromatic spices like ginger and garlic, and foods with contrasting textures like crunchy crackers and soft cheese.

Olfactory training is a therapeutic exercise where you mindfully sniff a set of four different strong scents, like essential oils or spices, twice a day. This process helps to repair and retrain the olfactory nerves, which are essential for perceiving flavor.

Complete and permanent loss of taste (ageusia) is rare. Most cases are temporary and linked to infections, medication side effects, or other treatable conditions. However, severe nerve damage or certain neurological conditions can cause long-term or permanent changes.

Some studies suggest a link between zinc deficiency and taste disturbances. Zinc is vital for proper function of the taste buds. In cases where a deficiency is confirmed, supplementation may help, but it should be done under a doctor's supervision.

In addition to olfactory training, practical steps include staying well-hydrated, maintaining excellent oral hygiene, and experimenting with intensely flavored and textured foods. Avoiding smoking can also significantly improve taste.

If your taste loss is sudden, severe, persistent for more than a few weeks, or is accompanied by other concerning symptoms, it is best to consult a healthcare provider. An ENT specialist may be able to diagnose and treat the underlying cause.