Vape Tongue: What Causes It and What You Can Do About It

Have you noticed that you suddenly cannot taste a flavour you normally notice when vaping? You may have come across the term vape tongue or vaper's tongue.

Vape tongue is a commonly used term for a temporary change or reduction in the ability to taste or notice flavours while vaping. It is not a formal medical diagnosis, and there can be several reasons why your sense of taste or smell changes.

In this article, we’ll look at what vape tongue means, some possible causes, simple steps that may help, and when it may be worth speaking with a healthcare professional.

Important: Vaping is not risk-free. If you do not smoke, you should not start vaping. This article provides general health information and is not a substitute for medical advice.

Highlights

• Vape tongue is a common term for a temporary reduction or change in the ability to taste flavours while vaping.
• Possible contributing factors include dry mouth, reduced sense of smell, oral health issues, nasal congestion and repeated exposure to the same flavour.
• Staying hydrated and maintaining good oral hygiene may help support normal taste and smell.
• Persistent changes in taste or smell may have causes unrelated to vaping and should be discussed with a healthcare professional.

What Is Vape Tongue?

Vape tongue, also known as vaper's tongue, describes a situation where someone notices that a flavour they normally taste while vaping suddenly seems weak, bland or almost absent.

Interestingly, this does not necessarily mean that your taste buds have stopped working. Our ability to experience flavour involves both taste and smell. When your sense of smell is affected, for example by nasal congestion, a cold or another condition, the way you perceive flavours can change as well.

You may therefore notice a difference in the taste of a vaping substance while still being able to taste food normally.

Vape tongue is generally used as a descriptive term rather than a medical diagnosis, so there is no single cause or guaranteed "cure".

What Causes Vape Tongue?

There are several possible reasons why someone may experience a temporary change in taste or flavour perception. In an article of how our taste works, we need combinations of smell, texture and temperature to be able to fully experience flavors. So, if you lose the taste of your e-liquid, it may be due to the loss of one of those three conditions. Let’s see further what maybe the other reasons someone may have vape tongue:

1. Dry Mouth or Dehydration

A dry mouth can affect how your mouth feels and may contribute to changes in taste perception. Vaping can be associated with dry mouth, although there can be many other causes of dehydration or oral dryness as well.

Drinking enough water throughout the day and maintaining good oral hygiene can help support normal oral health. If you regularly experience persistent dry mouth, it is worth discussing this with a dentist or healthcare professional.

2. Reduced Sense of Smell

Smell plays an important role in how we experience flavour. A blocked nose, cold, allergies or other conditions affecting your sense of smell can therefore make flavours seem weaker. This can happen even when your ability to detect basic tastes such as sweet, salty, sour or bitter remains unchanged.

If your sense of smell has suddenly changed or does not return to normal, consider speaking with a healthcare professional.

3. Getting Used to the Same Flavour

Repeated exposure to the same smell can make it seem less noticeable over time. This is sometimes described as olfactory fatigue or sensory adaptation. A simple comparison is perfume. When you first put on a fragrance, you may notice the smell strongly. After wearing it for a while, you may barely notice it, even though other people can still smell it.

A similar effect can influence how strongly you perceive certain flavours or aromas. This does not necessarily mean that anything is wrong with your taste buds.

4. Oral Health

Your oral health can also affect how your mouth feels and how you perceive taste. Poor oral hygiene, dry mouth, gum problems and other oral health conditions may contribute to changes in taste or mouth sensations. Brushing your teeth twice a day, cleaning between your teeth and following good oral hygiene practices can help maintain oral health.

Avoid brushing your tongue or gums too aggressively, as this can cause irritation. If you notice persistent changes in taste alongside symptoms such as bleeding gums, mouth pain, sores or swelling, speak with a dentist or healthcare professional.

5. Illness, Stress and Other Factors

Changes in taste or smell can have many causes that are not directly related to vaping. A cold, respiratory infection, allergies, medication, stress and other health conditions can all affect how you experience taste and smell.

This is why it is difficult to say that vaping is always the direct cause of vape tongue. If the change continues or occurs alongside other symptoms, it is better to look beyond vaping and consider whether another health issue could be involved.

What Can You Do About These Changes in Taste or Smell?

There is no specific medical treatment known as a "vape tongue cure." However, if you notice a temporary change in taste or smell, there are some simple things you can do.

Stay Hydrated

Make sure you are drinking enough water throughout the day, particularly if you are experiencing dry mouth. Water is generally a better choice for hydration than regularly consuming sugary drinks.

Take Care of Your Oral Health

Maintain your normal oral hygiene routine by brushing your teeth, cleaning between your teeth and keeping your mouth clean. If you have ongoing oral health concerns, a dentist can help identify whether there is an underlying problem.

Give Your Senses a Break

If you notice that a particular smell or flavour has become less noticeable, reducing your exposure to it for a while may allow your sense of smell to become more responsive again.

Check Whether You Have Nasal Congestion

If your nose is blocked or your sense of smell has changed, this may explain why flavours seem weaker. Treating the underlying cause of congestion, where appropriate, may help your sense of smell and flavour perception return to normal.

Pay Attention to How Long It Lasts

A short-term change may resolve on its own. However, if your loss or change of taste or smell persists, becomes worse, or occurs with other symptoms, it is worth speaking with a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional.

Other Side Effects of Vaping

Vaping is fairly new compared to smoking, so more research is needed to find out the side effects of vaping. Research has identified possible associations between vaping and oral health effects, including dry mouth and changes in periodontal and dental health, although more research is needed to understand the long-term effects. (Sources: Oncology Republic, March 2024 & PubMed Central, "Effects of Vape Use on Oral Health: A Review of the Literature", February 2024)

 

Conclusion

Vape tongue is a commonly used term for a temporary change in how you experience taste or flavour while vaping. It can have several possible causes, including dry mouth, changes in smell, oral health issues and repeated exposure to the same flavour.

There is no single "cure" for vape tongue. Staying hydrated, maintaining good oral hygiene and paying attention to changes in your sense of taste and smell are sensible steps. Most importantly, do not assume that every change in taste or smell is caused by vaping. If symptoms persist or you notice other changes in your mouth, taste or smell, speak with a qualified healthcare professional.

Vaping is not risk-free, and people who do not smoke should not start vaping. For current information about vaping regulations in New Zealand, refer to the Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand.