Groundbreaking new drugs leading medical advances
Exposure to some chemicals and metals can actually have an impact on how your mouth tastes. Exposure to lead (and lead poisoning), for instance, can leave a metallic taste in your mouth.
Neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can have an impact on taste.
Having a dental prosthesis can actually alter your taste buds. This is particularly true for upper dentures, as they can cover the taste buds on the roof of the mouth.
An antifungal medicine is usually effective in the treatment of oral thrush. Check your tongue for any signs, and take it from there.
Candida fungus may start multiplying and spreading in your mouth, causing oral thrush. This will lead to a number of symptoms, including creamy white lesions, redness, pain, and, of course, a bad taste in the mouth.
Mercury poisoning has also been associated with a metallic taste. Most cases of poisoning are associated with other symptoms, including nausea or vomiting, so don’t ignore it if you suspect you've been exposed to dangerous levels of lead or mercury.
The other taste buds in your mouth will eventually adapt, and your mouth might start to taste the same again.
As you can conclude from this gallery, sometimes the bad taste in your mouth is caused by other conditions, which makes treating it a bit difficult without addressing the cause. You can’t go wrong with a solid oral hygiene routine though.
Sources: (Health Digest) (MedicineNet) (Cleveland Clinic) (Healthline)
See also: The most common doubts about oral hygiene (and their answers)
An unpleasant taste in your mouth can be a side effect of a medication you’re taking. Anything, from anti-inflammatories to antibiotics, antihistamines, and oral contraceptives, can have an effect on how your mouth tastes.
Some medications act by actually causing a bad taste (e.g. metallic or sour), while others do so by impacting your saliva production and drying your mouth.
Radiotherapy to the mouth, neck, and head, in particular, may also alter your salivary glands, which can then dry your mouth and leave you with a bad taste.
Millions of people around the world take supplements daily. Certain vitamin and mineral supplements in particular can make your mouth taste a bit metallic though.
The main culprits when it comes to minerals include zinc, calcium, chromium, copper, and iron. Vitamin D supplements may also leave your mouth tasting a bit weird.
This is due to our levels of the TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor) protein, which is a protein that manages inflammation. The levels of this protein influence taste.
Should you experience other symptoms, including vomiting, fever, and diarrhea, seek medical attention immediately.
Your mouth can get dry due to a number of factors, namely poor hydration. But when it comes to xerostomia, just drinking a glass of water might not be enough.
Both chemotherapy and radiotherapy in general can have an impact on taste.
From a cold to an ear infection, and strep throat, both viral and bacterial infections can cause a change in smell and leave you with a bad taste in your mouth.
If you experience dry mouth, get it checked out by a doctor. Xerostomia can be a symptom of numerous health conditions, including diabetes, cystic fibrosis, nerve damage, and Alzheimer's disease, to name a few.
A bad taste in your mouth can actually be caused by hepatitis B, a viral infection that affects the liver.
If you suspect this is your case, you should seek medical assistance. Both occasional acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can be treated, so get it checked out by a physician.
That bad taste in your mouth can be stomach acid. When you suffer from acid reflux, stomach acid can go up towards your throat and mouth.
Hormone fluctuations experienced during pregnancy can also affect taste, so if you’re pregnant and your mouth tastes weird at times, it might be due to hormonal changes.
Go to the dentist and get checked for cavities (sometimes these are not easily spotted), and check your tongue for any irregularities in shape or color.
It might be worth reevaluating your dental routine. Look for any signs of redness on your gums, or receding gums.
But it turns out there is an actual medical term used to describe an abnormal taste in our mouths. It’s called dysgeusia. Now, let's take a look at possible causes of dysgeusia.
We’ve all, at some point in our lives, had a strange or bad taste in our mouths. Most times we don’t really think much of it, as we usually associate it with something we’ve eaten, for example.
Our mouths can give us feedback about our hormone levels. For instance, the change in estrogen levels when a woman reaches menopause can have an impact on saliva production, and consequently dry up your mouth, leaving a bad taste.
If this is your case, there are things you can do to stimulate saliva production and increase moisture. Avoiding drinks and caffeine, keeping hydrated, and chewing gum might help.
From sour to metallic, and everything in between, we've all had an unpleasant taste in our mouth at various points in our lives. Sure, many times we know the cause, and the answer often lies in our diets and/or oral hygiene. But what if it doesn't? What if the bad taste in your mouth is rather a symptom of something more serious?
In this gallery, we delve into the many possibilities. Click on.
Why you should pay attention to that bad taste in your mouth
From hormonal changes to infection...
HEALTH Medical symptoms
From sour to metallic, and everything in between, we've all had an unpleasant taste in our mouth at various points in our lives. Sure, many times we know the cause, and the answer often lies in our diets and/or oral hygiene. But what if it doesn't? What if the bad taste in your mouth is rather a symptom of something more serious?
In this gallery, we delve into the many possibilities. Click on.