The senses of taste and smell work together. Most tastes come from odors. The sense of smell begins at the nerve endings high in the lining of the nose.

The number of taste buds decreases as you age. Each remaining taste bud also begins to lose mass.

Sensitivity to the four tastes often declines after age 60. Usually salty and sweet tastes are lost first, followed by bitter and sour tastes. In addition, your mouth produces less saliva as you age. This causes dry mouth, which can affect your sense of taste.

Age in taste