6Aging and Taste
Taste buds play an important role in the sense of smell. There are around 9000 taste buds in newborn babies. These are the raised bumps that you can see when sticking out the tongue in the mirror. In addition to your tongue, they can also be found on the roof of your mouth, back of the throat, and in your esophagus.
Like other cells, taste buds regenerate about every 10 days. However, aging could affect this process. After the age of 40, the number of these cells reduces and the remaining ones start to shrink. This can have a significant effect on your sense of taste. Other medical conditions and medications taken during this period can also contribute to the loss of taste in the elderly. [6]
