EFFECTS OF CHLORHEXIDINE ON HUMAN TASTE PERCEPTION

Chlorhexidine gluconate at a dose used to control bacteria in the mout h has a reversible effect on taste perception. Taste-intensity ratings and taste-quality identification for concentration series of sucrose, sodium chloride, citric acid and quinine hydrochloride were obtained from 15 healthy humans. The participants rinsed with 0.12% chlorhexidi ne for 3 min twice a day. Each individual was tested 3 times: before t he 4-day rinse period, 30 min after the final rinse, and 4 days after the rinse period. Chlorhexidine rinses reduced the perceptual intensit y of sodium chloride and quinine hydrochloride, not sucrose or citric acid. No effects on taste perception were detected 4 days after the ri nse period. The identification of sodium chloride as salty was serious ly impaired by chlorhexidine but the identification of quinine hydroch loride as bitter was not affected. Specific sites of action of chlorhe xidine on the taste epithelium are not known but its effects on salty taste may be related to its strong positive charge and its effect on b itter taste may be related to its amphiphilicity. Chlorhexidine has pr omise as a probe of taste transduction, as well as for the management of salty/bitter dysgeusias in humans.