Abstract
BACKGROUND: Disturbance in the sense of taste can destroy appetite and change eating habits, causing a significant decrease in the quality of life. The use of opium causes a disturbance in the sense of taste. Opium is a narcotic drug that can cause temporary or permanent damage to the taste system, making it a source of concern in dentistry. This research was conducted to determine the effects of opium consumption on the sensation of the four main tastes. METHODS: This study was conducted in a single-masked and descriptive-analytical manner. The study population included 107 opium addicts and 113 smokers who were in the same age group. None of the studied subjects had any systemic disease or consumed herbal or chemical drugs. The four substances, citric acid, sodium chloride, sucrose, and caffeine, were used to evaluate sourness, saltiness, sweetness, and bitterness, respectively. Finally, the obtained data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 and the Mann-Whitney U test. P values<0.05 were considered statistically significant. FINDINGS: Opium use did not have a significant effect on the perception of sweetness (P=0.437), saltiness (P=0.536), or sourness (P=0.8), but a significant effect was seen concerning the perception of bitterness (P=0.0000002). CONCLUSION: It seems that opium addicts do not have significant problems in perceiving the taste of sweetness, sourness, and saltiness, but impairment was observed in the perception of bitterness.