"Vapor's Tongue", Myth or Reality?

[Arnie H]

I have heard stories of the fabled "vapor's tongue" syndrome. Can anyone tell me exactly what this is?

Does it have to do with dead taste buds coming back to life after smoking for a long time?
Is it something that happens ocassionally to all/most vaper throughout their vaping "career"?
Does it depend on the individual?

Thanks guys.

 

[SissySpike]

It dose happen. I think all of the remedy's are myth's.

Time cures it I cant say whether its a side affect from not smoking but it tends to happen to new vapors so there might be something to this. It dose go away with time whether its days or weeks each person is different.

I dont think any study's have been done to give a scientific answer so your just getting everyone's best guess.

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

When I made the final transition, I chain vaped. I couldn't swap, fill and charge fast enough. After a few days of this, absolutely nothing tasted right. The tobacco tasted like the vanilla tasted like the coffee tasted like the candy. When I finally slowed down and took the hydration advice I found here, the phenomenon subsided and I abided.

 

[jefsview]

you'll know soon enough!






















Just kidding... ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... really, I am ...........................................................

 

[cocacola31173]

About a month after I started I got it. Very aggravating cause it felt like I was just vaping steam! I stuck it out though. I still get it from time to time if I don't drink enough water. I think sometiimes you get a build up of your tastebuds if you don't hydrate enough.

But hey water good for ya!

 

[bikerbeagle]

It's real and happens, I think, to most vapers. It is when your taste buds can no longer taste or distinguish (certain) juice flavors. There are lots of theories on it, but the most logic (to me) indicates that it is caused by dehydration of your tongue and drinking lots of water (unflavored) helps to correct it / keep it from happening. The PG (or VG, I forget which now) is some kind of <insert scientific jargon here> that essentially draws moisture out of whatever it touches ...ergo, dehydrates your tongue. A lot of vapers tend to switch to stronger flavors (cinnamon, naturally extracted tobacco, etc) or just vape unflavored for a while until they recover.

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

It dose happen. I think all of the remedy's are myth's.

Time cures it I cant say whether its a side affect from not smoking but it tends to happen to new vapors so there might be something to this. It dose go away with time whether its days or weeks each person is different.

I dont think any study's have been done to give a scientific answer so your just getting everyone's best guess.

Hydration and electrolytes really helped me get over the hump. You can make your own electrolyte drink with a few simple ingredients.

1/2 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp baking soda and about 1/2 to 1 tsp of lemon juice in about a pint of water.

 

[_more_]

I mainly vape unflavored nic juice. When I first started vaping and used flavors i did get vapors tongue.

btw unflavored nic does have a flavor of its own. It tastes good like a light cigarette without the nasty chemicals and burning tar residue. If i do add any flavor it is just a few drops of caramel cappuccino.

i don't know why vapors tongue happens but a lot of people have experienced it. The ones who don't are so lucky!

 

[Zipp]

It's real, and it's not specific to vaping. You can easily fry your taste buds with certain flavors, especially if they're strong ones. Like taking a bite of a kiwi without peeling it first. You won't taste anything else for hours. Salty flavors do that to me sometimes too.

 

[DustyZ]

It's real and happens, I think, to most vapers. It is when your taste buds can no longer taste or distinguish (certain) juice flavors. There are lots of theories on it, but the most logic (to me) indicates that it is caused by dehydration of your tongue and drinking lots of water (unflavored) helps to correct it / keep it from happening. The PG (or VG, I forget which now) is some kind of <insert scientific jargon here> that essentially draws moisture out of whatever it touches ...ergo, dehydrates your tongue. A lot of vapers tend to switch to stronger flavors (cinnamon, naturally extracted tobacco, etc) or just vape unflavored for a while until they recover.

Actually both PG and VG are both "Humectants" and are used to keep things moist, such as in Cigar Humidifiers and also used as a preservative for some foods. A "Desiccant" is used to help keep things drug, such as those little barrels you find in some medication bottle which are filled with "silica gel"

So it's more likely that it's a combination of the different ingredients in the e-liquids, I find at times that I have a slight over production of saliva but also get some sensitivity of the tongue, I believe typically due to the fact that I use menthol and some are much stronger than others are are made from different plants sources.

However, it's is a correct statement to keep well hydrated in any case.

 

[StereoDreamer]

My theory is it is a combination of dehydration (new vapers often overlook the importance of hydration) and sensory overload. It is a known fact that your brain will simply filter out input from certian senses (taste, smell, hearing) when the input is constant, repetitive, and strong.

Because cigarettes are inconsistant in their manufacture and burning is a natural, unpredictable process, every puff from every cigarette is different. Smoking a cigarette is like listening to a "distracting" converstion while you ride the train--you might want to tune it out, bu tyou cn't help yourself but to listen and pay attention.

Vaping is much more consistant, flavor-wise. Plus it has lots of NEW strong flavors, that just keep coming at you--the same every time. So Vaping is more like the annoying buzz of an air conditioner. You notice it when you first walk into a room, but after a few hours, you don't even notice it conciously. Your brain has filtered out the noise.

And because that consistent delivery of strong flavor is something your brain doesn't really know how to process, when you are a new vaper, once the novelty wears off (usually round week 2 or 3), your brain just starts to filter out those flavors--ESPECIALLY if you vape the same thing all the time.

When I started vaping I was all over the place, flavor-wise. I tried tobaccos, fruits, bakery flavors--and I never got "vapers tongue". It wasn't until I found a flavor I REALLY likes--about 3 MONTHS in--and started vaping it 24/7, did I wake up one morning and the flavor seemed to have all just disppered--and it was like that for about a week, while I frantically went through my entire juice collection, looking for a flavor that would stimulate my tastebuds back to life. Ultimately, I think it's just a matter of training your brain to NOT filter out the "flavor overload"...

 

[Talyon]

For me it is real, I do drink lots of water and still get vapors tongue I've had it happen twice now in my almost 6 months of Vapeing. When it's happened I've tried a few myths but haven't found a cute except a few days time itself. I have a ADV, and 4 other flavors I really like so I switch alot and this seems to help not getting it in the first place.

 

[Spazmelda]

I think it's real. I got it a few times in the first few months and never since. I have no idea what the physiological basis for this is. I don't drink any different amount of liquids than I did in the beginning or anything like that. It's my belief that it's just time that fixes it.

Do people who never smoked before vaping get vaper's tongue?

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

For me it is real, I do drink lots of water and still get vapors tongue I've had it happen twice now in my almost 6 months of Vapeing. When it's happened I've tried a few myths but haven't found a cute except a few days time itself. I have a ADV, and 4 other flavors I really like so I switch alot and this seems to help not getting it in the first place.

Try my electrolyte recipe. It really does work.

Another thing I've found (after being properly hydrated, of course) is that a cold beer or a glass of good dry wine helps cleanse the palate.

 

[hazarada]

its more to do with your brain than anything in your mouth. Its sorta like staring at a colored wall with one eye open for a while and then try the other one.. the tuning has changed because the brain is trying to adapt. The only things i've found that help are time, lysterine and separating flavors. By separating flavors i mean you need to clean your atty before swapping flavors since even though you cant feel the old flavor, you still sorta do in an unnoticable way um yeah. So when you swap back you wont taste the juice because the small doses of the flavor was enough to develop a sort of temporary immunity.

Actually both PG and VG are both "Humectants" and are used to keep things moist

They are used as humectants in some cases but the more accurate term would be humidity stabilizers since they only spread moisture until 70% humidity after which they start absorbing it. Human airways are around 80%-100% humidity so in any which way moisture will get sucked out.

 

[Nacon]

If you start wiggin out about lack of flavor in your vape, that's how you know it's happening. It could take days to kick back in or even weeks.

 

[StereoDreamer]

I think it's real. I got it a few times in the first few months and never since. I have no idea what the physiological basis for this is. I don't drink any different amount of liquids than I did in the beginning or anything like that. It's my belief that it's just time that fixes it.

And I maintain that it is NOT physiological, but rather, psychological. It's the brain getting used to a repetitive, constant "noise" and filtering it out.

Getting over "vapers tongue" is more about training your BRAIN to NOT filter out repetitive, strong signals, and most likely has nothing at all to do with physical conditions...

 

[jingleberry]

I've been vaping for about 6 months and I've never experienced this, at least I don't think I have, but I do drink a ton of water each day. Typically a minimum of 1 gallon. Hope I didn't just jinx myself for saying this.

 

[hazarada]

I've been vaping for about 6 months and I've never experienced this, at least I don't think I have, but I do drink a ton of water each day. Typically a minimum of 1 gallon. Hope I didn't just jinx myself for saying this.

the effect varies from person to person, also what kind of flavor you're into. For instance I can do a tobacco flavor only 1 day at a time but i could do most fruits for months in a row with no problem.

 

[Copycat2]

Hmm, I didn't even realize what was happening to me had a name... that said, to keep it from happening to me, when I can't taste my juice anymore, I switch flavors. I switch between 3 different flavors during the day. It keeps my taste buds (and me) happy all day long.