RESUMO
BACKGROUND: There are still only a few therapeutic strategies to improve taste sensation, which is part of oral health and quality of life. OBJECTIVE: Therefore, here we aimed to investigate gustatory functions of healthy subjects performing mechanical tongue cleaning (MTC), an easy-to-perform oral hygiene procedure, to demonstrate taste changes and to describe possible negative side effects. METHODS: Prior to and 14 days following MTC with an Orabrush® , the following tests were conducted in 65 healthy participants including both non-smokers (n = 50, 76.9%) and smokers (n = 15, 23.1%): 'taste strips' test, the Winkel Tongue Coating Index (WTCI), and subjective self-assessment. RESULTS: Among non-smokers, subjective self-assessments of gustatory function (P < .01), halitosis (P = .03) and tongue coating (P < .01) improved after 14 days of MTC; furthermore, they exhibited higher total taste (P < .01) and lower WTCI (P < .01) values. Their age and sex did not correlate with the differences between the pre- and post-MTC WTCI scores; however, differences between pre- and post-MTC total taste values were correlated with age. The total taste value improvements were greater in non-smokers aged 45-91 years than in those aged 20-44 years (P = .01). In smokers, total taste values (P < .01), as well as sweet (P = .03) and sour (P = .04) taste values, were significantly improved after 14 days of MTC. CONCLUSION: Fourteen days of MTC using an Orabrush® can improve gustatory functions in non-smokers and smokers. Therefore, MTC might be a useful, costless and easy option to improve taste and should be considered as a part of the daily oral care.