The Study Of Gustatory Function After Cystectomy Of The Jaw In The Mandibular Molar Area

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to determine the severity and time course of salty taste changes of anterior tongue after cystectomy of the jaw in the mandibular molar area.Study design1.17 patients of dentigerous cyst were measured before cystectomy of the jaw and at 1 month and 6 months after surgery.Three tests were administered:concentration gradient test,localized salty taste test and simple olfactometry.All patients filled a questionnaire to assess subjective perceptions at 1 month and 6 months after surgery.2.Simple olfactometry:Cigarettes,tea,soap,camphor were chosen as test material,normal saline for contrast,packed with unified small bottle.At the beginning of the test subjects closed their eyes and blocked one side of the nose,use the other nostril to smell on position which was 5 cm above the bottle.Then indicated the name of the material and recorded at the same time.In order to prevent the olfactory fatigue they had a time interval.The sense of smell was normal if all materials were recognized correctly.3.Concentration gradient test:A sterile cotton swab was impregnated with different concentrations of NaCl(0.005 mol/L,0.01 mol/L,0.02 mol/L,0.04 mol/L,0.08 mol/L)and painted the test area from back to front(about 0.025ml).The first solution to be used was the one with the smallest concentration,then a solution of progressively higher concentration until the taste was recognized and differentiated.4.Localized salty taste test:A sterile cotton swab was impregnated with 1.0M of NaCl and painted the test area from back to front(about 0.025ml).Then to identify the quality of 1.0M of NaCl and rate the stimulus on an intensity scale from 0(no taste)to 9(very strong taste).5.Statistical analysis:Statistical analysis was carried out by using SPSS 22.0 with p values less than 0.05 considered statistically significant.Results1.All patients could pass simple olfactometry everytime.2.The scores patients got in concentration gradient test at 1 month after surgery on the operation side of anterior tongue were lower than the scores before surgery(P<0.05),and there was no statistically significant between before surgery and 1 month after surgery(P>0.05).There was no statistically significant on the non-operation side.3.There was no statistically significant among scores patients got in localized salty taste test before surgery,at 1 month after surgery and at 6 month after surgery(P>0.05).4.All patients did not perceive any change of their gustatory after surgery.Conclusions.1.Patients’ salty threshold of anterior tongue will increase after the cystectomy of the jaw in the mandibular molar area and it recovers 6 mouth after surgery.But suprathreshold salty gustatory function will not change.2.Patients’ olfactory sensation does not change after the cystectomy of the jaw in the mandibular molar area.3.Patients did not perceive any change of their gustatory after the cystectomy of the jaw in the mandibular molar area.