Which statement about taste is associated with hyposalivation?

• A. Alteration in taste
• B. Increased salty taste only
• C. No change in taste
• D. Enhanced sweet taste

Answer: (A)

The main concept here is that saliva is essential for tasting because tastants must be dissolved and efficiently delivered to taste receptors, while saliva also helps keep the oral surface moist and cleansed. When salivary flow is reduced, as in hyposalivation, the dissolution and transport of tastants are impaired, leading to changes in how flavors are perceived—a dysgeusia-like alteration in taste. Dryness can also affect the health and function of the taste buds and the mucosa, further contributing to altered taste perception.

Because taste changes are not limited to one specific flavor modality, hyposalivation can lead to a broad alteration in taste rather than a selective increase in a single taste such as salt, and it is more accurate to say there is an overall alteration in taste rather than no change or a guaranteed enhancement of sweetness.