Have you ever felt a strange metallic taste in the mouth? Although it is a common symptom in many diseases, it can also be caused by poor oral hygiene or excessive intake of foods or drugs rich in metal.
If you do not know what to do or how to treat the bad taste in your mouth, here we explain everything you need to know and how to solve it!
- Why is the metallic taste produced in the mouth?
- Causes of bad taste in the mouth
- Treatment for metallic taste in the mouth
- Foods to treat bad taste in mouth
Why is the metallic taste produced in the mouth?
The taste of metal in the mouth is produced by a change in the sense of taste. This bad taste of the mouth is known as dysgeusia and can modify the taste totally or partially.
It is usually a consequence of disorders and diseases of the body, which can affect us sporadically or chronically. When the dysgeusia is chronic it can cause irreparable damage to the nerves of the taste buds, which causes that the flavors cannot be differentiated properly.
Remember that metallic taste in the mouth is a symptom, not a disease. This is why your treatment depends very much on what caused it.
Causes of bad taste in the mouth
The metallic taste in the mouth can be produced for very different reasons from gingivitis to the side effect of some medication.
Below, we show you the most common reasons why this metallic flavor is produced.
If you have caries, gingivitis, periodontitis (inflammation of the periodontium) or other oral problems, it is likely that one of the symptoms you have is the metallic taste in your mouth. Also bad dental hygiene can produce it.
To avoid this, it is necessary to go to the dentist or the dentist and brush your teeth thoroughly three times a day, without forgetting the gums and the tongue.
Since the nose is related to the tongue, a problem in the sinuses can also cause a bad taste in the mouth. It is more likely to be felt if you have sinusitis, allergies or periodic nasal congestion.
The metallic taste in the mouth when coughing can be very annoying, so it is advisable to go to the doctor in case of feeling the nose congested.
It is the most common cause of metal taste in the mouth. The drugs that produce most of this side effect are the following:
- Anxiolytics, tranquilizers that are used to reduce anxiety, among other things
- Treatments for cancer, especially chemotherapy
- Pills for the heart
- Medications for blood pressure
- Treatments for arthritis
- Medications for diabetes
- Antacids , used for heartburn
- Pills for glaucoma
These drugs usually have compounds such as lithium, potassium iodide or iron supplements. It is these elements that cause the metallic taste.
The metallic taste is also a common symptom in some diseases, as well as a side effect in the treatments used to cure symptoms.
The most common diseases in which dysgeusia occur are the following:
- Cancer and chemotherapy
- Zinc deficiency
- Lack of vitamin B12, one of the essential vitamins totally necessary to have a good quality of life
- Kidney failure
If you think that the bitter taste in the mouth may be caused by any of these diseases, it is best to go to the doctor to make a diagnosis and advise you the best way to treat the disease and its symptoms.
Those diseases that affect the nerve endings of the brain and neuronal functions can also cause this symptom by altering the perception of smell and taste. An example of this are autoimmune diseases or a brain tumor.
During pregnancy there is a very large hormonal change, so it is common to feel a metallic taste in the mouth during pregnancy.
It usually appears during the first trimester and is not something to worry about. After the birth this symptom disappears.
Some foods in bad condition can cause an intoxication of the organism that has as a symptom the bad taste in the mouth when eating. Eating marine foods, such as bonito or tuna, can also produce these symptoms.
In both cases, everything normally normalizes in a couple of days. Even so, if you think that the poisoning can be serious, it is best to go to the doctor immediately.
Excess metal in the body
Food and medicine contain a percentage of metal whose intake is not good in excess. It is produced by an increase in copper and iron and the symptom is usually solved by eating well and in adequate amounts.
It is also not convenient to stop eating these foods, since the body needs all the necessary salts, minerals and other compounds to be in the right amount for a good standard of living.
The taste buds may be affected by fungi or other infections. This can cause the metallic taste in the mouth.
It is best to go to the doctor to tell you how to treat the infection.
Some substances can end up irritating our body after prolonged exposure, especially if inhaled. An example of this are lacquers, gasoline or cobalt. It is advisable not to expose yourself too much to these products if you want to avoid irritation of the nostrils and mouth.
Smoking in excess has hundreds of negative side effects for our body, so it is not convenient to smoke tobacco if you want to lead a healthy and long life.
One of these side effects may be to feel a metallic taste in your mouth when you cough.
When you wake up from an operation with anesthesia or if you only anesthetize a part of your body, especially in your mouth to fix a filling, it is common to feel this bad taste in your mouth afterwards. It usually disappears with the passing of hours and is not something to worry about.
Like tobacco, drinking too much alcohol is not good for our body and can cause dryness and a metal taste in the mouth.
Above all, it is common for this symptom to occur if alcohol induces vomiting.
Stomach regurgitations are a common problem in today’s society. This alteration in the stomach can produce a metallic taste in the mouth due to reflux.
Treatment for metallic taste in the mouth
The first step is to find out if it is caused by a more serious problem, such as an illness or an infection, since in these cases the appropriate treatment will be followed to make the disease disappear.
If not, there are a number of tips you can follow to improve the situation:
- Brushing teeth and tongue assiduously
- Rinse the mouth with warm water and salt after eating
- Rinse the mouth with a little sodium bicarbonate and water
- Drink eight glasses of water a day to cleanse the mouth deeply
- Use spray and floss
These tips also serve to treat halitosis or any other illness that causes bad breath.
Foods to treat bad taste in mouth
Nature offers us natural remedies to treat most of our problems. An example of this is food to make the bad taste disappear. Here we leave you the best foods to stop feeling the metallic taste in your mouth! Most can easily be found in the market!
Lemon or orange juice
The citrus is very useful to neutralize the bad taste in the mouth and helps produce saliva and clean the oral cavity. It is advisable to have a glass of lemon or orange juice in the morning on an empty stomach.
Cinnamon and cloves
These powerful essences are very useful in case you suddenly feel a metallic taste in your mouth. It is not convenient to ingest them in excess, since they can sit badly on the stomach.
Mint or chewing gum
It may be common sense but, if you feel a bad taste in your mouth, it is useful to chew gum with a powerful flavor or some mint.
Chewing coffee beans is also a very useful remedy to treat the bitter taste in the mouth. You just have to chew the beans for a few minutes and then rinse your mouth with water.
Take peach fasting is very useful to treat bad breath in general.