http://www.infinitebody.com/gallery/oral/tongfaq.html Can I lose my sense of taste? No. You have hundreds of taste buds, not one or two. And these are replaced every few days. (Ever had hot chocolate that was too hot, and made your tongue funny for a day or so?) Besides, if you remember grade school science, most of your tasting is done with the edges of the tongue. If you use Listerine to rinse, though, you may notice things taste different for a while. It's just very strong.