• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.144-151
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• 2023

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the repeatability of the electrical measurement of taste detection on different dates and in different sessions in healthy young females. Methods: The sites of electrical stimulation were the tip of the tongue, the posterolateral border of the tongue and the soft palate on the right side unilaterally. The measurements were repeated over three consecutive days, three sessions per day and three times for each session in seventeen healthy females. The repeatability of the measurement was assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: In the dB unit, the ICC of the tip of the tongue and the soft palate was good (61.03 and 66.03, respectively); however, the lateral border of the tongue was a little lower (58.07). In the ㎂ unit, all three test sites had poor ICC. Variability was more significantly associated with the subject factor than with other factors such as trials, sessions and days in dB and ㎂ units. Conclusions: Electrogustometry, which measures electrical taste detection thresholds in the dB unit, is repeatable and acceptable for clinical use in assessing taste function in healthy young females.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.10-14
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• 2014

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the difference between gustatory functions in a sleep disordered breathing (SDB) group and a control group. The pathogenesis of SDB has not been fully understood. Though the precise contributions of neuromuscular and anatomical factors on SDB pathogenesis are still debated, we hypothesized that the gustatory dysfunction could be predisposed to SDB. Methods: All patients were diagnosed as SDB by polysomnography (PSG). On the basis of PSG results, patients were divided into 3 groups: snoring, mixed, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The control group comprised healthy volunteers who were the same age as those of the SDB group and whose breathing was verified as normal using a portable sleep monitor device. The patient group and the control group were evaluated for gustatory functions with an electrogustometry (EGM). The electrical taste thresholds were measured in the anterior, midlateral, and posterior sides of the tongue and soft palatal regions, both sides. To find out the difference in EGM scores, statistical analysis was performed using the Kruskal-wallis and Mann-Whitney U test with 95% confidence interval and p<0.05 significance level. Results: The patients with SDB had higher EGM scores than the control group at all spots tested, except for the right midlateral of the tongue, and there was a statistical significance in the comparison between the control group and the divided SDB groups, respectively. Among the divided SDB groups, the snoring group had the most significant differences in the number of the measured spots, but there was no difference among the snoring, mixed, and OSA groups. Conclusions: These results may suggest that neurologic alterations with sleep disordered breathing could be associated with gustatory dysfunction. In the future, further systemic studies will be needed to confirm this study.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.499-509
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• 1997

The facial nerve have a long pathway. Thus facial nerve fibers easily involved at any point along their course will lead to a facial palsy of lower motor neuron type and upper motor neuron type. The electrophysiologic examination can evaluate and anticipating that prognosis of facial nerve palsy. The electrophysiologic examination are Nerve Excitability Test(NET), Elecctroneurography(ENG), Electro-myography(EMG), Blink Reflex, and Electrogustometry et.al. The NET is very useful method for assessment of prognosis and distinguish between nerve degeneration and physiological block as early as 72 hour after onset of the facial palsy. And other examination also give objectively information of facial nerve for prognosis and treatment. Treatment goal of physiotherapy are prevent contracture and disuse atrophy of facial muscle with muscle reeducation and strengthening and maintain symmetry facial motion. The treatment better start as early as possible.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.183-192
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• 2010

The aim of this study is to determine a relationship between the smoking and the gustation. For that purpose, the survey is about the subjective taste change after smoking compared the electrical taste thresholds by EGM on healthy young Korean men before and after smoking. The results of the electrogustometry showed significant differences between smokers and non-smokers, also between before smoking and directly after smoking in smokers showed significant differences which indicated the immediate, but temporary effects of smoking on the taste thresholds. There were no difference of gustatory function by the amount of smoking and the degree of addiction. Based on the results of this study, further studies will be focused on the difference of gustatory function between before and after smoking using the chemical taste test, and the relationship between change of olfactory and gustation by smoking.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.177-185
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• 2007

Iatrogenic injury following dental treatments and the use of local anesthetics may cause taste disorders. The aims of this study were to investigate quantitative and qualitative changes of taste due to unilateral inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia and further to evaluate potential effects on taste function related to anesthesia or hypoesthesia of inferior alveolar nerve, possibly occurring after dental procedure. 30 healthy volunteers in their twenties participated in this study (male to female = 1:1, mean age of $24.0{\pm}1.8$ years). Each subject received inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia on his or her right side with 2% lidocaine HCl containing 1:100,000 epinephrine. Before and after anesthesia, electrogustometric test and chemical localized test for salty, sweet, sour and bitter tastes were performed on the eight sites in the oral cavity; right and left anterior and lateral tongue and circumvallate papilla of the tongue and soft palate. Unilateral inferior alveolar nerve anesthesia produced elevation of electrical taste threshold and reduction of intensity ratings for all 4 tastes (salty, sweet, sour and bitter) over anterior and lateral tongue and circumvallate papilla on the ipsilateral side (p<0.05). Contralateral sides exhibited decreased intensity ratings for salty and sweet taste (p<0.05) on anterior and lateral tongue while there was no significant difference in electrogustometric testing. Based on the results of this study, it is assumed that unilateral local anesthesia on inferior alveolar nerve can affect chorda tympani and glossopharyngeal nerves on the same side, leading to taste deficits. Taste intensity on the contralateral side may, in part, be deteriorated as well.