Have you ever experienced a sudden loss of taste from your favourite e-juice that you can’t tell the flavour anymore? Or you noticed that you no longer feel the intensity of your chosen e-liquid like before? If so, then you could be suffering from a condition called Vaper’s tongue.
This condition might sound familiar but you’ve never thought much about it. Well, you don’t have to panic now that you might be suffering from it. It is not uncommon and the good part is that it doesn’t last very long. So, you don’t have to worry; you can get things right again.
That said, it’s high time you familiarised yourself with what vaper’s tongue is, how people get it, and available cures for it. This article will expose you to all these details. Keep on reading.
What is Vaper’s Tongue?
Vaper’s tongue is a term used to describe a wide range of taste-related ailments from a loss of taste of a single individual flavour to losing the taste for all drinks and foods.
The former is quite common, but the latter is potentially more serious and could be caused by several factors, including vitamin deficiency, illnesses, or dehydration.
But you need to note that “vaper’s tongue” does not only afflict the taste buds. Instead, it is something that affects the interaction between your sense of smell and the sensors on your tongue. This causes an overall loss of flavour and a feeling that your e-juice has lost its mojo somehow.
However, in most of the cases of vaper’s tongue, the condition usually resolves on its own, but there are quite some things you can do to revive your taste buds faster, and we’ll show you that as we proceed.
That said, vaper’s tongue can sometimes happen with regular vaping, and this could make a vaper feel like their tongue is coated with something that prevents them from distinguishing flavors appropriately. But the nicotine absorption and the flavour is usually intact.
0nce you begin to lose your tasting ability, especially without warning, it could cause a lot of confusion and discourage you from vaping. But the good news is that this condition can be cured in suitable ways.
How People Get Vaper’s Tongue
Many factors can cause vaper’s tongue, including:
Vaping the same flavour for too long
Research has shown that our olfactory system (responsible for the sense of smell) easily becomes desensitised to aromas when you stick to them for too long. This is one of the common causes of vaper’s tongue.
You may say “oh it’s hard for me to switch from the flavour I already enjoy.” Yeah, but to prevent your taste bud from becoming desensitised, you need to exercise moderation.
Dehydration
You need to understand that vaping absorbs moisture from your mouth, and this can lead to the formation of a thin protective film on your tongue, which affects the sensitivity of your taste buds to e-juices.
Other symptoms to watch out for include dry mouth, headache, dark urine, and tiredness. Also, note that dehydration could also be a sign that you’re losing salts.
Damaged taste buds
Your taste buds can become damaged by many factors like smoking, alcohol, infections, extremely spicy foods, sour foods, and some medications. Although they do heal themselves, they get weaker with age (which is why your taste changes as you grow older).
However, it could take up to two weeks for damaged taste buds to regrow, meaning it could take some time for you to fully regain your sense of taste.
A recent switch from smoking
You can get vaper’s tongue if you recently switched from smoking. Your taste buds may still be recovering from the damage caused by smoking cigarettes.
Little wonder many vapers report getting hit by the fresh smell of coffee brewing for a couple of weeks after their last cigarette. Some others have been hit by less pleasant smells.
Dry mouth
Dry mouth can also cause vaper’s tongue, and this is often a result of dehydration, allergies, and medication. Also, you may experience drier mouth as you grow older.
Blocked nose
Like we said, your sense of smell works hand-in-hand with your sense of taste to determine flavour. So when your nose is blocked, it could affect how you taste, especially when you’re dealing with more complex flavours.
Anxiety or stress
Anxiety and stress have been studied to affect your sense of taste in several ways, including mouth breathing, which results in dry mouth.
When you breathe from your mouth, it can also cause bacteria to grow more quickly since they thrive in a dry environment. Also, when your anxiety leads to acid reflux, it can affect your taste buds.
Medications
Some drugs like Penicillamine, Lithium, Captopril, or Rifampin can weaken your sense of taste and smell. So if you suffer from vaper’s tongue while taking any of these drugs, it could be the cause.
Sicknesses
If you’ve been cycling flavour properly and you stay hydrated regularly, you may be coming down with a cold, and this usually affects your sense of smell. Consequently, your taste bud is also affected, leading to vaper’s tongue.
Aside from cold and flu, other illnesses that can affect your sense of taste includes:
• Zinc deficiency
• Vitamin B12 deficiency
• Gingivitis
• Strep throat
• Respiratory infections
• Alzheimer’s
• Injuries to the nose, head, or mouth
Some other causes of vaper’s tongue include:
• Dirty atomizer contacts
• Aging E-liquid
Cures for Vaper’s Tongue
Vaper’s tongue is usually temporary and resolves on its own, but there are measures you can take to get to speed up the healing process. However, it is important to consult your doctor for the best medical advice, particularly if you’re concerned about vitamin deficiencies, anxiety, or illness.
Without much ado, check out the following solutions that should work for most cases of vaper’s tongue:
Try switching up flavours
You can try transitioning to less sharp fruity flavours if you’re having trouble tasting certain flavours. You can also try putting your favourite flavour away for a week and come back to it later.
Another way is to switch between several flavours throughout the day to help your brain stay more receptive to taste. Although it can be quite hard to put down your favourite e-juice to use another, it helps, in turn, to make it even taste better.
Stay Hydrated
As we’ve mentioned above, dehydration puts vapers at risk of dry mouth, so always ensure you drink plenty of water while vaping.
Apart from achieving the best taste possible from your e-juice, staying hydrated helps for your overall health.
Inhale coffee beans
This technique has been used by professional perfume samplers and flavor testers. The principle is simple- When you inhale the smell of fresh coffee beans, it forces your sense of taste and smell to reset.
So if you’ve tried drinking plenty of water and it’s not working, you can grab a bag of fresh coffee beans wrapped in a brown paper bag, and inhale repeatedly. You can even grind the coffee beans to get even more of a punch.
Limit Alcohol and Caffeine
When you take too much caffeine and alcohol, it leads to dry mouth, and that’s because these substances are classified as diuretics (which causes you to urinate frequently).
In other words, alcoholic and caffeinated beverages dry out your tongue and make it more difficult for you to taste. So try to limit their intake.
Sucking on a lemon
Sucking on a lemon helps to reset your taste buds. If this fruit tastes too sour for you, you can try lemon sorbet or some lemon-flavoured e-juices.
Rinsing your nose
You can rinse your nose with a saltwater solution to restore your sense of smell, especially when it is affected by an allergy or infection.
Mouth wash
Some vapers believe mouth wash helps them resolve vaper’s tongue. But some others are skeptical and think it causes it. So you can give it a try if nothing else works.
Using a steeped e-liquid
When you steep your e-juice, it allows the flavour profile to develop fully. So if you’re suffering from vaper’s tongue, you can try steeping your e-juice for a week or two, and you might notice a great improvement in your taste.
End Dual Vaping or Smoking
If you’re a dual user of vaper juice and cigarette, try quitting. Smoking dehydrates you and damages your taste bud. So when you quit smoking, you’re helping your sense of taste come alive again. Besides, you’ll be killing two birds with one stone.
Try an Oral Hydration Product
Some products like Biotene (made from PG and VG) acts as a cure for dry mouth temporarily. So you can get an oral hydration product like sprays, mouthwashes, overnight gels, toothpaste.
Other measures to cure for vaper’s tongue include:
Use unflavoured vape juices
Keep good dental hygiene
Try taking longer drags from your e-cigarettes
Try menthol flavours
Allow time
Use a tongue scraper
Final Remark
Vaper’s tongue is a common condition among vapers, and it can sometimes be frustrating. But it is important to keep your cool, as it is not a serious condition. When you stress on it too much, you may worsen the symptoms. So follow our simple measures highlighted above to get a restoration of your sense of taste and smell.
However, if you don’t see a positive result, it could be that your taste buds are damaged. So you will have to wait for one or two weeks for your buds to regenerate. You can consult your doctor if the condition persists to get the best advice.
But in all, always remember to switch up your flavours, stay hydrated, and keep your vape device clean.
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