Smoking cigarettes not only makes the taste buds insensitive but also deadens the nasal epithelium receptors. This tends to hamper the senses of taste and smell which causes periodontal diseases. Nicotine is a chemical compound found in cigarettes that tends to restrain nerve activity in the brain area which causes the taste buds to become insensitive. Nicotine has a bitter taste which helps to reverse other tastes in the mouth. It has an annoyance sensation that slows down the taste response. It works in the same way that capsaicin functions. Capsaicin is a chemical compound which makes the chili pepper burn as a result of which taste sensation gets reduced. It is believed that nicotine enters the human brain and stimulates the areas that are concerned with feeding. Various feeding hubs now interact with the brain areas which are associated with the taste. When cigarette smoking stimulates these areas, they tend to restrain the nerve cells that are accountable for taste. Thus due to the suppression of the taste sensation cigarette smokers tend to lose their appetite for food. But once they stop smoking the taste buds come back to their normal conditions and hence people start showing high cravings for food which in turn leads to weight gain.