Have you experienced vaper’s tongue?
Has it happened to you that your e-juice no longer tastes the way it used to? Then you may have experienced what is known as “vaper’s tongue”. Here you will learn what it is and how your sense of taste works.
How your sense of taste works
With the help of your tongue, you can perceive five different basic tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami. It is a common misconception that each basic taste can only be perceived in a specific part of the tongue; research has proven that you can recognize the different basic tastes everywhere on the tongue where there are taste buds. Inside each individual taste bud are different cells that recognize the basic tastes.
The nose also plays a major role when discussing the sense of taste, as the nose and tongue work together to create the sensation of taste. You may have noticed that when your nose is blocked, you cannot taste anything at all. You can experiment yourself and see whether your e-juice tastes the same if you hold your nose and take a puff from your e-cigarette; be careful, though, as this may make you cough quite a lot.
The saliva in your mouth has a major impact on your ability to taste. If your mouth is dry, you will not perceive flavors as well, which is why we recommend drinking plenty of water when vaping to keep your sense of taste functioning.
What is vaper’s tongue?
Vaper’s tongue is a phenomenon that can occur without warning, causing the user to experience a dramatic reduction in the flavor of their e-juice. Don’t worry, though; it is not dangerous, and there are some “remedies” for vaper’s tongue.
There are several reasons that can cause vaper’s tongue:
- If you vape the same e-juice for too long
If you have been vaping the same e-juice for too long, you may develop vaper’s tongue. It is recommended to change flavors occasionally. - Damaged taste buds
Unfortunately, your taste buds can become damaged, which can lead to vaper’s tongue. This may be caused by alcohol, smoking, infections, or spicy & sour foods, which can damage your taste buds. Your taste buds repair themselves but become weaker over time, which is why the older you get, the less flavor you perceive. - If you have recently quit smoking regular cigarettes
If you have recently given up tobacco cigarettes, your sense of taste is recovering, and therefore you may perceive less flavor. - Dehydration
Vaping can cause dehydration, especially if you use a high percentage of PG in your e-juice. We recommend drinking water regularly. - Blocked nose
If your nose is blocked, your taste experience will not be as good. You do not necessarily have vaper’s tongue if your nose is congested. - Old e-juice
E-juice that has passed its expiration date will naturally lose flavor over time. This does not necessarily mean that you have vaper’s tongue; it may simply be that your e-juice has become old.
What you can do to treat your vaper’s tongue is:
- Change the flavor of your e-juice (menthol, licorice or another strong flavor)
- Drink water
- Inhale the scent of fresh coffee beans
Inhaling the scent of fresh coffee beans is a technique used by professional wine and perfume tasters. We do not know how this works, but experts claim that it restores your sense of taste - Suck on a lemon
Like smelling coffee beans, this is apparently supposed to restore your sense of taste. If you find it too sour, you can try lemon sorbet instead. - Brush your teeth or use mouthwash
