Self-perceived taste disturbance: a 20-year prospective study of a Swedish 1942 birth cohort

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of dental care factors, general health factors and socio-economic factors on perceived taste disturbance (PTD) over time and to assess the stability of or change in PTD in a panel of individuals as they progressed from middle age (50 years) to early old age (70 years).

Data collection was conducted from a cohort study beginning in 1992, when the participants were 50 years old, and again 5, 10, 15 and 20 years later. Stability and change in PTD were described using cross-tabulation. Perceived taste disturbance over the 20-year survey period was modelled using the generalised estimating equation (GEE).

The prevalence of PTD during a 5-year period found in this study ranged from 2.4 to 2.9%, the latter in individuals between 60 and 70 years of age. Women generally had PTD more often than men. The longitudinal analysis showed that problems with bad breath (OR = 3.6), blisters (OR = 3.4), burning mouth (OR = 3.4) and self-perceived health (OR = 2.7) were the most important factors explaining PTD.

This study showed that PTD does not increase between 50 and 70 years of age in ordinary community-living individuals. There were no long-term impacts on PTD over time from socio-economic factors, and over time, there were a limited number of factors contributing to the effect. Bad breath, blisters, burning mouth and self-perceived health are important factors for the dentist to discuss with the patient in the case of PTD.