Evaluation of gustatory function in postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to evaluate the gustatory function in postmenopausal women.


METHODS
Whole mouth taste test and spatial taste test were administered to 20 postmenopausal women (Group 1) and 20 age-matched male subjects (Group 2). Further investigations were carried out for subjective assessment of taste alteration and nutritional differences between premenopausal and postmenopausal periods.


RESULTS
There was a significant reduction in sucrose perception and in palatal sensitivity in postmenopausal women (p<0.05). Only 7(35%) of the female patients noticed alteration in taste perception during the postmenopausal period. Alteration in dietary habits after menopause was reported by 9 (45%) patients.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that taste perception of the tongue does not change, but that there is a disorder in palatal perception in postmenopausal women. Furthermore, there is tendency to preference of sweeter foods during menopause.
Delilbasi
C
C
Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey. delilbasi@hotmail.com
Cehiz
T
T
Akal
U K
UK
Yilmaz
T
T
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology*; D013652:Taste Threshold / Q000502:physiology