Final answer:
We can damage our taste receptors through physical injuries, exposure to extremely hot or spicy substances, or by other factors. Taste receptors, responsible for detecting the primary tastes, regenerate every ten days to two weeks, allowing recovery of taste.
Step-by-step explanation:
We damage our taste receptors through physical injuries such as burning our tongue, exposure to very hot or spicy foods, or even due to infections and certain medications. These receptors are responsible for detecting the five primary tastes (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami) by the interaction of molecules with the specialized cells. Specifically, the salty and sour tastes are triggered by cations such as Na+ and H+, while the sweet, bitter, and umami tastes are mediated through a G-protein coupled receptor. Damage to these receptors can temporarily alter or diminish our sense of taste. However, it's important to note that taste buds, which host these receptors, have a life cycle of about ten days to two weeks, allowing for regeneration and recovery of taste even after damage.