Comparison between tobacco and non tobacco chewers with respect to salt taste perception

Introduction: Taste perception is the basic sensory activity for the right selection of food and beverages which we eat daily. Tongue recognizes five fundamental tastes out of which salt provides more than just salty taste to the food. Salt provides sodium and chloride ions which are needed by the body. But the habit of tobacco consumption alters taste perception. Nicotine the core content in tobacco is leading cause for decreased effectiveness of gustatory system. This eventually leads to excess salt consumption by tobacco chewers causing other health problems. Methodology: An observational study with a total of 50 samples was carried out in Vidarbha region from February to April 2017. Out of which 25 were tobacco chewers and 25 were non-tobacco consumers of age 21 to 55 years were taken. Different concentrations of salt solutions were made. The samples were made to sip different solutions. The response scale was made with different age group people reacting to different salt solutions. The data was further collected and analysed statistically. Result: The analysis showed no correlation between the age and salt taste perception. But there was significant relation between the tobacco chewers and taste perception. Chronic tobacco chewers (in any form) had a significant loss of salt taste perception. Conclusion: The result of this study shows that we need to have various National Health programmes to create awareness about ill effects of tobacco consumption. It not only hampers the normal taste perception but also is responsible for all other fatal health related diseases.