Bad taste in the mouth: causes bad taste in the mouth

1. A bitter, foul or bad taste in your mouth while consuming something bitter, such as chicory (used as a coffee substitute) or black coffee (which is made with boiling water), is normal. However, having a chronic bitter taste in your mouth regardless of what you eat or drink is not normal and may indicate an underlying condition. There are several causes of a bitter or bad taste in the mouth, such as pregnancy, dry mouth and heartburn. Depending on the cause, a bitter taste in your mouth may be accompanied by other symptoms, such as bad breath or other symptoms. Treating a bad taste in the mouth can involve self-care, but it is sometimes wise to consult a doctor, especially if the bad taste in the mouth persists.

Bad mouth taste symptoms

1. A bad taste in the mouth can come and go or be present all the time. A bad taste in the mouth may be accompanied by the following symptoms:

Causes of a bad taste in the mouth

1. Experiencing a bad or bad taste in your mouth is often not a serious problem, but it can disrupt your daily life and affect what you eat and how you eat it. experiences.

Mouth burning

1. Mouth burning is also known as burning mouth syndrome, which comes from the English Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS). Mouth burning causes a burning sensation in the mouth that can be very painful. These symptoms can occur in part of the mouth or in the entire mouth. It can also cause a dry mouth and a bitter or metallic taste. Mouth burning occurs in both women and men, especially in menopausal women. Sometimes a burning mouth has no recognizable cause. Doctors suspect this is due to damage to the nerves in the mouth. It can also be associated with underlying conditions or treatments for conditions such as diabetes mellitus, cancer treatment, and hormonal changes during menopause.

Pregnancy

1. The female hormone estrogen, which fluctuates during pregnancy, can alter the taste buds. Many women report a bitter, metallic taste or 'blood taste' in the mouth, which they sometimes even 'taste' in their throat when pregnant. This usually disappears later in pregnancy or after delivery.

Transition

1. You need saliva to taste food. Salivary enzymes break down starch and convert it into glucose. In the chewing phase, the food is detected by the receptors of your taste buds and translated into sweet, salty, bitter, sour and savory (umami) flavors. The characteristics such as taste but also structure are transmitted to the brain. You can suffer from a dry mouth during menopause. As a result of the fluctuations in the production of the hormone estrogen, which ensures, among other things, a good mucous membrane function, your salivary glands may produce too little saliva for a while. Having less saliva and dry mucous membranes in the mouth can reduce or change your sense of taste. Also, because saliva protects your mouth from bacteria, you may find that you have more dental problems such as cavities or receding gums. Tooth decay can also cause a bad taste in the mouth.

Dry mouth

1. The feeling of a dry mouth, also called xerostomia, can be caused by a decrease in saliva production or change in saliva composition. The decrease in saliva can have a number of causes, including:

Acid reflux (stomach acid from the stomach)

1. Acid reflux, also called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD), occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter weakens, allowing food and stomach acid to flow up from your stomach to the esophagus and mouth. The lower esophageal sphincter is a muscle at the bottom of the esophagus, the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. Because this food from the stomach contains digestive acid and enzymes, it can cause a bad taste in your mouth. Other symptoms include:

Medicines and vitamin supplements

1. Once your body has absorbed certain types of medication, remnants of the medication are excreted in the saliva. In addition, if a drug or supplement contains bitter or metallic elements, it can leave a bitter taste in your mouth. Common culprits are:

Diseases and infections

1. When you have a cold, flu, sinusitis (sinus infection) or other illness, the body naturally releases a protein that is made by various cells in the body to heal inflammation. Presumably this protein also affects the taste buds, causing an increased sensitivity to bitter flavors if you are sick or have the flu.

Cancer Treatments

1. Radiation (radiotherapy) and chemotherapy can irritate the taste buds, causing many foods, including water, to take on a metallic or bitter taste.

Pine nuts

1. Although it is not an allergy, some people may experience a reaction to pine nuts that leave a bitter or metallic taste in the mouth about 12 to 48 hours after eating the seeds. It is not known exactly why this happens, but it may have something to do with a contaminant used in the processing process, a genetic predisposition, or the nut oil turning rancid.

Smoking

1. Smoking damages the sense of taste and smoking can be the cause of experiencing a constant bad taste in your mouth. The reason smoking causes bad taste is that tobacco contains toxins that damage the taste buds.

Fungal infection (candida)

1. A fungal infection in the mouth can cause white patches and spots on the throat and tongue. An unpleasant taste in the mouth is one of the symptoms of a yeast infection in the mouth.

Getting older

1. As you age, you lose a lot of your taste buds and this causes many older people to experience a bad taste in their mouths. A taste disturbance in the elderly is very common. A number of factors contribute to many elderly people having a bitter or bad taste in their mouth. These are loss of sensory taste buds, increased use of medication and decreased saliva production.

Vitamin deficiency

1. If you have a constant bitter or sour taste in your mouth, it could be due to a severe vitamin deficiency. Vitamins and nutrients are necessary for the body to function properly, including the taste and smell functions. For example, zinc is needed for the senses of taste and smell. Not only zinc deficiency, but too much zinc can lead to a bad taste in the mouth and other complications. A vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause loss of taste.

Poor oral hygiene

1. Poor oral hygiene is also a possible cause for a bitter or bad taste in the mouth. The bad taste can get worse depending on what you eat and whether you smoke. Brushing and flossing your teeth regularly helps to remove bacteria between teeth and around the gums and prevent gum disease. A persistent bad taste in the mouth can be a sign of gum disease.

Inflammation of the liver

1. Hepatitis B is an inflammation of the liver or inflammation of the liver caused by a virus. Symptoms of hepatitis B can appear 4 weeks to 6 months after infection with the virus. Many people develop a chronic or ongoing form of the disease with only vague symptoms. About 30% of people have no signs or symptoms of hepatitis B.

Symptoms of Tooth Decay

1. Everyone knows that tooth decay is bad. It is an attack on the enamel (the hard protective layer) of your teeth, so that your teeth can eventually be lost. When you haven't brushed your teeth for several hours, bacteria will stick to the surface of the tooth, known as `` dental plaque. '' The secretions of the dental plaque bacteria can cause gum disease in addition to tooth decay. By learning to recognize the symptoms of tooth decay, you can ensure that the problem is addressed as soon as possible before it gets worse and results in further damage to teeth and gums. Symptoms of tooth decay are:

Toothache

1. Toothache due to tooth decay can be a constant, dull pain or an occasional sharp pain. While you can treat the pain with over-the-counter painkillers, get any dental pain assessed by a dentist as soon as possible.

Sensitivity

1. If you suffer from tooth decay, your teeth can become sensitive. This sensitivity can occur with eating or drinking, and often with very hot, cold or sweet foods.

Bad breath

1. Everyone has bad breath now and then, but if you find yourself having bad breath that won't go away even after brushing or using mouthwash, it could be a sign of an even more persistent problem.

Stains on teeth

1. If you notice gray, black, or brown stains on your teeth, it is very possible they are caused by tooth decay.

Bad taste in the mouth

1. When bad breath is caused by tooth decay, you often experience a persistent, bad taste in the mouth that you cannot easily get rid of. If this condition does not go away after eating, drinking, brushing, or rinsing, it could be a sign of tooth decay or some other dental problem.

Self-care bad taste in the mouth

1. General measures There are some measures you can take at home to relieve and even prevent the bad taste in your mouth:

Rinse mouth with baking soda

1. Baking soda can neutralize bacteria that cause a bad taste in your mouth after eating. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is naturally alkaline and can help reduce harmful acid in your mouth. It is recommended that you rinse your mouth with baking soda if you have bitterness in your mouth. If the bad taste in your mouth is caused by heartburn, reducing the amount of acid in your stomach by drinking baking water can help. Baking soda is an effective and natural remedy for heartburn. Mix half a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water. Then drink this mixture; do this after a (hot) meal or early in the morning.

Eat citrus fruits

1. Eating citrus fruits can help clear bad taste from your mouth. This is especially helpful if you have a bad taste in your mouth due to aging, a wound, pregnancy or cancer, as the sharp taste of the citrus fruits stimulates the taste buds. Fruits such as lemons, oranges, and grapefruits also help increase saliva and help flush the bad taste out of your mouth.

Treatment of a bad taste in the mouth

1. Examination and diagnosis Treatment for a chronic bad taste in the mouth will depend on what the underlying cause is. The doctor or general practitioner will first inquire about your complaints, review your medical history and review the medications you are taking and then perform a physical examination. Sometimes blood tests are needed to rule out underlying conditions.

Medical treatment

1. If acid reflux is causing the bad taste, the doctor may prescribe antacids; these drugs neutralize stomach acid. When it comes to type 2 diabetes, your doctor may prescribe a drug such as metformin. Metformin lowers blood glucose. If certain medications you are taking are known to cause bad taste, your doctor may be able to prescribe an alternative.

Referral to a specialist

1. The doctor can also refer you to:

Forecast bad taste in the mouth

1. Having a bad taste in your mouth, even when you don't eat or drink anything bitter, is a common problem. Most causes are treatable.