10 Symptoms of Bell's palsy

6. Loss of Taste

The chorda tympani emerges from the front two-thirds of the tongue. It is the branch of the facial nerve responsible for sending taste sensation to the brain. The chorda tympani also plays an important part in stimulating salivation. When the facial nerve is affected, the person can lose the ability to distinguish sweet, sour, bitter, salty and savory tastes. This condition is called ageusia. A different nerve serves the back part of the tongue, so only the front of the tongue is affected in Bell's palsy.