The affliction which turns the colourful world of vaping to a dull grey is more than just a numb tongue.
Vapers tongue has probably affected most vapers out there. With it’s dulling of the senses, it suddenly seems like your vape juices taste of little more than water vapour. This can happen with even the best UK e liquids and has taken an almost mythical quality. Vapers around the world are still debating the many causes, but when it comes down to it, it’s a lot more psychological than you might think. Below are some of the symptoms, causes of and best defenses against vapers tongue, and some of the reasons why you may mistake vapers tongue for other vape device orientated problems.
What are the signs of vapers tongue?
The main effect of vapers tongue is that you can no longer taste your vape juice. What was once a sweet and comforting taste is now just a dull sensation at the back of the throat. This can of course cause some distress for the vaper, who may want to put the juice down for good.
What causes vapers tongue?
Never fear however, there’s a simple explanation for your vapers tongue. It comes down to your taste and the way that this interacts with your sense of smell. Taste fatigue is another name for vapers tongue and occurs when you have gotten too used to that flavour. Liken vapers tongue to a tobacco smoker failing to smell the smell of cigarettes in their clothes. You have simply got too used to it. The taste of your vape juice is weakened due to you having vaped it too much.
Smell, taste and the anatomy of the brain
Vapers tongue comes down to something called sensory adaptation. This is a process which can be defined by the complex relationship between your smell and taste. The gustatory system, or taste buds, and your olfactory system, or the nose, work in tandem to create the full taste sensation you feel when vaping. Furthermore, the relationship is made ever more potent by the power of the brain to remember and project tastes, even if you haven’t tasted the food yet. However, this relationship can have an adverse effect; your brain can dull a taste that has become routine.
Common misinterpretations
There are a range of conclusions which vapers tongue sufferers jump to. With the term vapers tongue being misleading, in that the problem is not with the tongue but with the brain, it’s not surprising that some vapers put it down to other device related problems.
Burnt coils can cause your vape device to taste burnt, but is not a cause of vapers tongue. There is also the dreaded spit back which can singe the tongue itself. On that note, a burnt mouth can damage taste buds, dulling your senses over time. The same with cigarettes and alcohol. If you have been steeping your vape juice for a long time, it may taste distinctly different, the same going for vape juice which hasn’t been steeped for long enough.
Combating vapers tongue
Combating vapers tongue and the problems which arise from it is simple enough. Try swapping your vape juices round every once in a while instead of vaping with the same one. Also give yourself a break from vaping, especially if you’re used to chain vaping.
To improve the taste of your vape juice, ensure that you are not vaping and smoking at the same time, especially fi you are transitioning to vape juice from tobacco. On top of this. What’s more, ensuring that you’re cleansing your palette, either by brushing your teeth or through sucking lemon juice, or something equally as palette cleansing will ensure that your taste keeps as strong as possible.