Tastebuds are cells on your tongue that, you guessed it, help you taste. They’re responsible for making eating enjoyable — for making your coffee taste rich, your pancakes taste sweet, and your mornings taste better. But there are certain habits that can make things taste dull, or even bad. Some of which you might not even realise are having an impact and breaking down your buds, daily.

01. Genetics.

It’s the reason why coriander tastes like soap to some, and a fresh burst of citrus to others. There are some families who have heightened sensitivity to certain profiles. There are also others, the chosen ones, who are referred to as supertasters — individuals who have inherited more tastebuds than the average person. Consider it our new favourite superpower.

02. Smoking.

This just in: smoking is bad for you. Ok, no surprises there. Smoking has been proven to dull, and even kill, your tastebuds. How? By messing with the blood supply and suppressing your capacity to taste flavours. Just in case you needed another reason to put down the pack.

03. Toothpaste.

Yep, we were shocked too. Toothpaste can nuke our mouths, which can in turn interfere with our entire morning. And nobody is talking about it. When we brush with ingredients that wipe out our tastebuds, like SLS, we’re not properly tasting the food and drink we consume straight after. It’s why coffee can taste bitter in the morning, and why drinking orange juice after brushing makes us squirm.

You paid for that coffee — you should get the most out of it. At the very least, you should be able to taste what the roaster intended. All that sweet, deep, rich, chocolatey, goodness.

Take our toothpaste for a taste drive and see the difference it makes to your morning — especially your mug.