What is vapers tongue?
Vapers tongue is a term used to describe the loss of flavour we experience when vaping. Some people may blame the tank, coil or device but in reality it's actually us!
If you are a vaper that loves the flavour hit as well as the nicotine hit then it's a hard time to stick with it, but don't give up yet! I'll explain what it is below and how you can overcome it.
The cause
You may have heard of being nose blind. This is when you get used to certain smells you're always around, just like when you have a new air freshener. You can smell it for the first day or two, then you become accustomed to it and no longer notice it. Vapers tongue is very much the same.
When you use the same, or similar flavours for a period of time you become accustomed to the flavour, so in turn stop tasting it. The period of time it takes to become accustomed can vary from person to person. I have known some customers stop tasting the liquid fully within a week, whereas some have taken months! The amount of flavour you loose can also vary with some customers reporting only partial flavour loss and others reporting that they can't taste anything at all.
There can be other factors that cause vapers tongue however, even if you haven't yet become accustomed to that flavour. These include:
Dehydration - Dehydration can cause loss of flavour as without saliva, tasting becomes almost impossible! Try eating something with a completely dry mouth and compare it to normal, you will notice a huge difference.
Illness - When we become ill our nose's can become blocked, our mouth may dry and we can loose appetite. All of these contribute to our sense of taste. If you're ill try to bear with the flavour loss and see if it returns when you get better!
How do you stop it?
There isn't a simple answer here. If you're ill then waiting is the key, until you're better there is nothing that can be done to get your much loved flavour back. If you're dehydrated then it should be a simple case of topping up on your bodies much needed water.
If you have the common, dreaded vapers tongue then there may be hope!
- Changing flavours, also known as cycling flavours. This is the easiest way, changing flavours is the best way to avoid vapers tongue to start with. By changing what you're vaping to something completely different stops you from getting accustomed to that flavour. But that doesn't mean swapping from one brand of cherry to another brand of cherry for example. Try switching from a cherry to a desert flavour, or to a grape menthol. These are completely different to your original flavour which decreases the chance of vapers tongue.
- Cleanse your palate. Wine tasters, perfume testers, food critics and mixologists alike always have a way to cleanse the palate. Wine tasters use bread, crackers or cheese. perfume testers use coffee or strong, bitter smells. Food critics use citrus, crackers, water. In all cases where a sense is used to determine a products quality there is always a way to refresh your sense of taste. Vaping is no different. Try to use:
- Citrus fruits
- Spicy foods
- Coffee
- Menthol
- Carbonated water
- Pickles
These strong flavours can refresh your taste and thus revealing the much loved flavour you want to taste again.
So now you know what it is, and how to combat it. Enjoy vaping your much loved flavours and make sure you stay healthy and hydrated whilst doing so!
Let me know your experiences of vapers tongue in the comments below and how you overcame it!
