Do you experience a metallic taste in your mouth that doesn’t disappear with brushing? Learn more about the causes and solutions to this unpleasant taste.
A metallic taste in your mouth occurs due to several things, ranging from diet changes to severe medical conditions. Other symptoms, like a bad taste or dry mouth, can accompany this taste.
This unpleasant taste is not a cause for alarm and should resolve quickly. But if it doesn’t, it can indicate an underlying medical issue like diabetes, high blood pressure, or nutritional deficiencies. Understanding its root cause help determine the right medication.
This article examines the metallic taste in your mouth, its common causes, and solutions.
Causes of Metallic Taste in Your Mouth
A metallic taste in your mouth is an unpleasant and persistent symptom that may indicate various underlying health conditions, including:
Dehydration
It’s a common cause of a metallic taste in the mouth. Dehydration resulting from a poor diet or illness makes your body excrete more minerals than usual through urine and sweat. A mineral imbalance leads to an unpleasant taste in your mouth.
To prevent this:
- Drink plenty of water
- Eat foods high in electrolytes, such as fruits or vegetables.
Poor Oral Hygiene
It can lead to bacteria and plaque buildup on your teeth, causing the taste sensation in the mouth.
To avoid this, brush and floss regularly.
If you suffer from dry mouth (xerostomia), drink plenty of water for the proper functioning of body systems, including digestion, absorption, circulation, respiration, and nervous system function.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, hormonal changes can affect your taste buds and cause a metallic taste in your mouth. According to medical experts, it’s common during the first trimester to experience morning sickness or nausea due to elevated levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). s HCG is a hormone produced by the placenta during pregnancy, and it’s believed to be responsible for causing a metallic taste in some women.
Infections
Certain infections, such as sinus and upper respiratory infections, can provoke a metallic taste in the mouth.
Nutritional Deficiencies
Certain nutritional deficiencies, including a lack of zinc, can leave the mouth with a metallic taste. It is a crucial mineral for preserving wellness and preventing sickness. Its deficiency may be brought on by a poor diet or chronic conditions like diabetes.
Dental problems
Dental issues such as gingivitis, periodontitis, and dental fillings or crowns made of metal can cause a metallic taste in your mouth.
Medications
Many prescription and over-the-counter medications can cause a metallic taste in your mouth. These include:
- Antibiotics
- Blood pressure medications
- Antidepressants
Infections
Sinus and upper respiratory infections are the leading causes of a metallic taste in the mouth. An infection can cause inflammation and swelling in your sinuses or throat that irritates the nerve endings responsible for sending signals about taste to your brain.
Exposure to chemicals
Exposure to certain chemicals, such as lead or mercury, can cause a metallic taste in your mouth. It can result from working in an industrial setting or having had dental work.
How to Eliminate a Metallic Taste in the Mouth?
If you have a metallic taste in your mouth, some of the solutions include;
Address the Underlying Cause
Take over-the-counter drugs if you have a condition like gastric reflux or heartburn that causes acid reflux. For oral hygiene, brush your teeth and tongue twice daily and floss daily to remove the buildup of bacteria or debris causing the metallic taste.
Visit a doctor if you don’t know what’s causing your metallic taste.
Home Remedies
Home remedies that can help alleviate this taste in the mouth include;
- Chew sugar-free gum or suck on mints: Sugar-free gum or mints help stimulate saliva production and eliminate a lingering metallic taste.
- Rinse your mouth with salt water: A saltwater solution reduces inflammation and removes bacteria contributing to the taste.
- Scrap your tongue: A tongue scraper removes bacteria and debris contributing to a metallic taste.
- Sucking on Ice Chips: It helps moisten the mouth and relieve the sensation of a dry tongue.
Diet and Lifestyle Changes
The common causes of a metallic taste in your mouth are poor diet and lifestyle choices. These include excessive alcohol consumption, spicy or fatty foods, and dehydration.
Here are tips for making diet and lifestyle changes that help you get rid of the unpleasant taste:
- Reduce alcohol consumption. Drinking too much alcohol leads to dehydration, causing a metallic taste in your mouth. To avoid this, drink plenty of water throughout the day and take breaks from alcohol consumption.
- Avoid consuming spicy or fatty foods, which can cause dry mouth and other side effects such as heartburn.
- Drink plenty of water and other non-caffeinated beverages throughout the day to stay hydrated.
When to Visit a Doctor
The metallic taste rarely causes concern. Yet, you should see a doctor if you experience fever, headache, or vomiting symptoms.
Consult a professional if;
- If the metallic taste persists for days or is recurrent, it could be a sign of an underlying condition that requires medical attention.
- You experience other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, and metallic taste.
- You started taking new medication or supplements. If you start taking something new, it may cause the taste.
- If you have had heavy metal exposure in the past, like working in an industrial area or having dental fillings, you are at risk for metal toxicity, which can cause a metallic taste.
- You have a history of oral health issues.
Get a Lasting Solution to The Metallic Taste in Your Mouth
A metallic aftertaste in your mouth can be bothersome and indicate a health issue. While several home remedies can eliminate or reduce the taste, it is advisable to seek medical assistance if it persists or is accompanied by other symptoms.
Your doctor determines the underlying cause of the metallic taste and recommends the appropriate treatment. It may include medications, changes in diet or lifestyle, or further testing to diagnose other underlying medical conditions.
If you are experiencing a metallic taste that won’t disappear, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with your doctor today.
