• 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.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.133-145
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate the taste sensitivity in patients with oral mucosal diseases(Oral lichen planus(OLP), Recurrent apthous ulcer(RAU)) using electrogustometer. One hundred and seventy three subjects were included for the study and they were categorized into 2 groups(control 100, patient 73) and patient group was investigated in the Department of Oral Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital from April, 2005 until January, 2007. Control group was investigated in the clinics at Inchen Metroplitan city and Cheongju city from February to August, 2006. The electrical taste thresholds were measured by using an electrogustometer for the 4 different sites(tongue tip, tongue lateral, circumvallate papilla and soft palate) in oral cavity. The results were as follows ; 1. The electrical taste threshold in patient group was significantly decreased than that in the control group(p<0.001). 2. The electrical taste threshold, in terms of the chronicity and lesion multiplicity, was not significantly changed in patient group. 3. The electrical taste threshold was not significantly changed in Dexan only and Dexan+Prs combination treated group. 4. The electrical taste threshold, in terms of treatment progress(no response vs half response vs complete response), was not significantly changed. However subjective index which was determined by NAS(Numerical Analogy Scale) was significantly increased in no response group but significantly decreased in complete response group(p<0.001)

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1541-1552
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the structure and secretory function of the von Ebner's gland in parasympathetic or sympathetic nerve innervation. Sprague Dawley rats were sacrificed 3, 7, 10, 14, and 21 days after bilateral glossopharyngeal or hypoglossal nerve axotomy, respectively. The circumvallate papilla portion of the tongue was dissected and we observed morphological changes in the von Ebner's gland. The properties of glycoconjugate in the von Ebner's gland were investigated using nine biotinylated lectins (PSA, UEA I, GSL I $B_4$, ECL, DBA, SBA, HPA, SJA, or sWGA). Compared with the control group, cytoplasmic vacuoles appeared in the serous acini of the von Ebner's gland in the 3-day group, and the serous acini were significantly vacuolized and degenerated in the 10-day group after glossopharyngeal nerve axotomy. However, the structure of the von Ebner's gland did not change after hypoglossal nerve axotomy. In the control group, the von Ebner's glands secreted glycoconjugates containing ${\alpha}$-D-galactose, N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine oligomer, and the amount of the secretion decreased significantly in the 10-day group after glossopharyngeal nerve axotomy. However, the amount of the glycoconjugate secretion did not change after hypoglossal nerve axotomy. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that the glossopharyngeal nerve containing parasympathetic nerve fibers is important for maintaining the structure of and secretory function in the von Ebner's gland in rats.