Jack,

You have presented the "million dollar" questions as I call it. I am just about 4 years out and can only give my personal account. In my case, it was some 2 to 3 years until my taste buds returned to what I estimate to be 90% normal and still there today. I suspect they have recovered all that they are going to by now. I eventually just learned to accept the fact that this is the way things taste now and I guess I adapted. Actually, I have found, in my case at least, the saliva issue is more of a pain. For the most part, I make it through the day in a near normal state but it seems that there are certain situations that will trigger dryness such as stress for one. By far, the greatest problem is at night while asleep in bed. For whatever the reason, my mouth goes as dry as cotton throughout the night, even with the use of a vaporizer in the room. What is really strange is that if I get up in the night, within a minute or so of standing up, the saliva begins to return. I can't figure that one out to save my life.

Good luck and just take it a day at a time.

Bill Dozier