The Scottish Mail on Sunday

Wisdom teeth ‘affect taste’

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HAVING wisdom teeth removed could super-boost your tastebuds.

Scientists at Penn University in the US performed blind taste tests on more than 1,200 patients shortly after tooth removal, then 20 years later.

While there was little difference in taste detection immediatel­y after surgery, two decades later those who had the operation outperform­ed their peers by up to ten per cent.

Those with no wisdom teeth were better able to detect sweet, salty, caffeine and bitter tastes than those with wisdom teeth intact.

The scientists suggest this could be the result of scar tissue from the surgery becoming hypersensi­tive.

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