Metallic taste in the mouth - symptoms, causes

A sour taste in the mouth is usually a sign of the development of a disease. This unpleasant taste can appear in the morning, after eating, and also at night, during sleep. Sometimes a sour aftertaste is observed in pregnant women. Most often, such a sensation indicates impaired functioning of the digestive system or the presence of oral diseases. You should not ignore the feeling, especially when this unpleasant feeling appears regularly. You should immediately contact a specialist who, after conducting the necessary diagnostics, will identify the cause of the discomfort and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Quite often, an unpleasant odor from the mouth appears along with a sour taste.

It is customary to distinguish between different types of sour taste:

• sour with a sweet tint;
• sour-salty;
• sour with bitterness;
• sour taste with a metallic tint.

A sour taste with a hint of sweetness can occur with diabetes. This taste in the mouth may be due to elevated blood sugar levels. Quite often this happens due to excessive consumption of sweets. Also, such an aftertaste may indicate improper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract or the presence of dental diseases.

A mixture of sour and salty, as a rule, manifests itself in diseases of the ENT organs and inflammation of the salivary glands.

A sour, bitter taste may be a consequence of poor nutrition. Bitterness can also be observed in heavy smokers. Almost always, such a taste is a symptom of diseases of the digestive system. Sourish bitterness in the mouth may indicate the development of gastritis, ulcers or pancreatitis.

A sour metallic taste, as a rule, signals the development of dental pathology.

Thus, factors such as:

• diseases of the digestive system;
• pathologies of teeth and gums;
• diabetes;
• pathologies of ENT organs;
• pregnancy;
• bad habits;
• poor nutrition.

A sour taste in the mouth: simple discomfort or an alarming symptom

A sour taste in the mouth worsens the psychological state and appetite, and affects the taste perception of dishes. More often it appears after eating and is associated with the consumption of certain foods and irritating drinks. If you constantly feel an unpleasant taste and you are sure that it is not caused by food, this may indicate the presence of a pathology. In this case, you need to consult a doctor as soon as possible. Only a specialist will accurately determine the cause and tell you how to get rid of the unpleasant symptom.

Drug treatment

Sour belching occurs along with heartburn and other signs of indigestion. Symptoms appear with gastritis with increased production of hydrochloric acid. They can be treated with several groups of medications:

• Proton pump inhibitors, which inhibit the production of gastric juice - Omez, Rabeloc.
• Tablets for heartburn - Reni, Gistak, Kvyamatel.
• Antacids that neutralize the negative effects of hydrochloric acid on the mucous membranes of the digestive tract - Maalox, Gastracid.
• Preparations with enzymes that improve the absorption and breakdown of food - Festal, Mezim, Pancreatin.
• Prokinetics that accelerate intestinal and gastric motility and eliminate stagnant processes in the digestive system and attacks of nausea - Motilak, Domperidone.
• Antibiotics (if Helicobacter pylori is detected in tests) - Amoxicillin, Azithromycin.
• Probiotics for normalizing intestinal microflora - Linex, Bactrim, Acipol.

Pain and spasms resulting from gastritis and ulcers are eliminated with the help of No-shpa or Drotaverine. The use of NSAIDs for this purpose is prohibited, as they can aggravate the symptoms of the problem.

If the mouth is sour due to liver disease, then patients are prescribed choleretic drugs - Ursosan, Ursofalk. They prevent stagnation of bile in the body and promote its unhindered excretion into the duodenum.

An important component of treating sour taste in the mouth is diet.

For a while, it is necessary to include foods of plant origin in the diet. Canned food, fast food, carbonated drinks, spices, spicy foods, alcohol and chocolate are removed from the menu. Preference is given to fermented milk products, green tea, and stewed vegetables.

Why does a sour taste appear?

The digestive system has a complex structure. The presence of any aggressive factors and internal changes in various organs negatively affects its functioning, as evidenced by the appearance of a sour taste. The main causative factors for the appearance of an unpleasant symptom:

1. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). When food enters the stomach, it does not return to the esophagus thanks to a special valve. It does not work properly in patients with GERD. Because of this, food enters the esophagus, which explains why a sour or bitter taste appears.
2. Insufficient oral hygiene and dental diseases: caries, gingivitis, periodontitis, stomatitis and other infections caused by fungi.
3. Taking certain medications. There are drugs that, in addition to their main action, affect taste buds in the brain or tongue. This includes antibiotics, drugs prescribed as part of chemotherapy for the treatment of neurological, cardiovascular diseases, and certain psychological conditions (depression, anxiety, insomnia).
4. Bad habits. An unpleasant aftertaste may be caused by smoking and chewing tobacco for a long time.
5. Dry mouth. Insufficient saliva production is accompanied by incorrect perception of taste. The disorder worsens with anxiety or stress.
6. Lack of zinc in the body. It is observed when there is insufficient intake of this element into the body, its poor absorption, for example, when taking certain medications.
7. Pregnancy and other conditions of the female body. Hormonal changes in expectant mothers cause a sour taste. This also happens due to the pressure of the uterus on the stomach. At the same time, heartburn appears. An undesirable symptom is also observed in women during menopause, which is explained by changes in hormone levels. By the way, hormonal disorders in men are also sometimes accompanied by the appearance of a sour taste.
8. Radiation therapy, which affects the head and neck area. This can damage saliva tissue, causing an unpleasant taste.
9. A number of diseases (gastric ulcer, disorders of the liver and its ducts, gastroduodenitis, pancreatitis, diaphragmatic hernia, chronic anemia, helminthic infestation).

There are many more reasons that provoke an unpleasant symptom. These are neurological disorders, operations or head injuries, poisoning with heavy metals and highly toxic substances.

Physiological reasons

It is not always sour in the mouth if there are disorders in the human body. A common cause of discomfort is insufficient oral care. Bacteria in dental plaque produce acids that destroy tooth enamel and cause the feeling of sour saliva. The unpleasant sign will disappear after proper teeth cleaning.

The symptom may also occur after consuming certain types of foods: milk or sweets. Pathogenic flora in the oral cavity is activated due to the intake of food rich in carbohydrates. In this case, it is possible to eliminate discomfort if you adjust your diet or thoroughly clean your teeth of product residues.

Those people who are accustomed to overeating often suffer from the problem. Because of this, their sphincter, through which food enters the stomach, is impaired. The contents of the stomach along with hydrochloric acid are thrown back.

Acidified saliva also appears after excessive consumption of fried and fatty foods. They disrupt the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and provoke inflammation in the digestive system. The main signs of inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract are bitterness and acidity in the mouth. In this case, the person needs to immediately contact the clinic to avoid complications of the underlying disease.

A sour taste in the mouth is often observed in people who wear metal structures in the mouth: piercings, iron crowns. The sensation occurs as a result of metal oxidation under the influence of saliva. In this case, a dentist will help a person cope with discomfort.

Another reason for a sour taste in the mouth in women is pregnancy. After conceiving a child, girls' hormonal levels change. This leads not only to changes in appearance, but also to the appearance of a foreign taste in the mouth. The symptom is associated with activation of the salivary glands, exacerbation of chronic ENT diseases or pathologies of the digestive tract.

Acid saliva is a common symptom that appears during pregnancy.

Increased acidity in the mouth, which occurs due to physiological reasons, is rarely accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms. The taste disappears immediately after eliminating the provoking factors and does not require drug treatment.

Symptoms accompanying a sour taste in the mouth

Sometimes the sour taste occurs only in the morning, in some cases it is felt constantly. It happens that it is combined with bad breath, which causes discomfort. What do the different “shades” of bad bite mean? They can talk about such violations:

• sour-bitter - occurs when there is a violation of fat metabolism and liver damage, eating large amounts of unhealthy food before bedtime;
• sour with a metallic taste - may indicate anemia, the development of dental diseases, the initial stage of diabetes mellitus;
• sweet and sour – a sign of oral diseases, intoxication of the body, latent diabetes mellitus;
• sour and salty - indicates problems with the salivary glands, otolaryngological diseases, central nervous system disorders, and may also mean that strong coffee or tea is consumed excessively.

In addition to a sour taste in the mouth, other symptoms may also appear: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, difficulty swallowing, burning throat.

Symptoms

Let us consider in more detail the characteristics of the symptom of the disorder depending on the cause that provoked it. A sweet and sour taste in the mouth appears after consuming large amounts of sugar, lactose-containing foods and coffee. Other causes of the symptom include:

• sudden cessation of smoking;
• liver pathologies;
• dental diseases (caries, periodontitis, gingivitis);
• poisoning by toxic substances at work;
• uncontrolled use of certain types of drugs;
• diabetes.

A bitter-sour taste in the mouth is most often associated with dietary errors. It can also appear due to bad habits such as smoking or drinking alcohol.

List of other factors causing discomfort:

• taking antibiotics, allergy medications, NSAIDs, medications for seizures;
• problematic outflow of bile from the body;
• gallbladder diseases;
• liver dysfunction;
• duodenal ulcer;
• gastritis;
• initial stages of diabetes;
• hormonal imbalance (during pregnancy, puberty or menopause);
• chronic anemia.

When taking medications, acid in the mouth will not appear immediately. This requires a long course of drug treatment.

A sour-salty taste occurs with the development of sialodenitis. The problem is associated with inflammation of the salivary glands. It develops independently or as a complication of a prolonged runny nose and other otolaryngological pathologies.

Other causes of symptoms include:

• abuse of carbonated drinks or coffee;
• dehydration of the body;
• uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages;
• damage to the sinuses;
• poor nutrition.

How is diagnostics carried out?

Only an accurate diagnosis is the key to successful treatment. For this purpose, you may have to visit several specialists: a therapist, a dentist, a gastroenterologist, an endocrinologist, and a gynecologist. The child must first be shown to a pediatrician.

Each of the listed reasons has its own method of diagnosis and elimination. In addition to collecting anamnesis and visual examination of the mouth, neck and head, doctors may prescribe the following studies:

• blood and urine tests;
• Ultrasound;
• FGDS;
• X-ray with HF;
• CT or MRI.

Various tests are also carried out to evaluate taste sensations.

Acid as a symptom of problems in the gastrointestinal tract

Considering why an unpleasant taste appears in the mouth, it should be noted that in many cases this is one of the most striking manifestations of a disease of the gastrointestinal tract. In particular it is worth highlighting:

Reflux stomach disease

• Hyper- or hypoacid gastritis. The inflammatory process that characterizes the disease contributes to the excessive production of hydrochloric acid. A large amount of this substance is produced against the background of the activity of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. In many cases, the microorganism acts as a provoking factor for the disease, and by producing excess hydrochloric acid, the gastrointestinal tract has a detrimental effect on Helicobacter pylori;
• Peptic ulcer of the stomach or duodenum. A sour taste after eating occurs due to increased production of stomach acid. Other symptoms of the disease are similar to those of gastritis, but appear much more pronounced;
• Gastroesophageal disease. As a result of the retrograde reflux of hydrochloric acid, the contents of the digestive organ irritate the mucous membrane of the esophagus, causing a sour sensation.

Pathological processes in the gastrointestinal tract are almost always accompanied by vivid manifestations of one or another disease. The occurrence of the following symptoms should be considered as a reason to consult a doctor:

• regular heartburn;
• pain or heaviness in the right hypochondrium;
• nausea (especially in the morning);
• hunger pains;
• sour belching;
• bloating and rumbling stomach;
• increased gas formation.

Drinking a small amount of milk after meals will help prevent heartburn, as calcium has an acid-neutralizing effect.

Treatment and preventive measures

Since a sour taste in the mouth is only a symptom, after identifying the causative disease, the doctor will prescribe appropriate treatment and tell you what to do to improve its effectiveness. It is important to pay due attention to the quality of oral hygiene, if necessary, carry out its sanitation, undergo professional teeth cleaning, and improve gum health.

How to remove the sour taste caused by gastrointestinal diseases? In addition to drug therapy prescribed by your doctor, you should follow these recommendations:

• do not overeat at night;
• Take warm food in small portions 5-6 times a day;
• drink enough clean water;
• limit consumption or completely avoid smoked, salty, fatty foods and alcohol, which have a bad effect on the digestion process and liver function;
• consume less red meat, strong coffee and tea, carbonated drinks and other foods with sour or bitter taste;
• introduce plant foods, cereals, eggs, dairy products, fish into the diet;
• to refuse from bad habits.

It is important to analyze the drugs that are used. A diet is also recommended for pregnant women. Expectant mothers should not take a horizontal position or engage in active physical exercise after eating. Hiking in the fresh air is shown.

Diagnostics

One of the key methods for determining the acidity of the stomach is to conduct a urease breath test to identify the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. Also, PCR and ELISA studies are performed to identify antibodies to this microorganism. Other mandatory research methods for suspected gastritis with high acidity include:

1. Endoscopic examination of the stomach (gastroscopy). Using this method, the condition of the stomach, esophagus and duodenum is assessed. If necessary, during the examination, fragments of the mucous membrane are taken (biopsy).
2. Intragastric pH-metry. To conduct the study, a pH-metric transnasal probe is used, which is connected to an autonomous recording unit. If the pH of the gastric contents is less than 1.5 units, then the diagnosis of hyperacid gastritis is confirmed.

An ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs may be prescribed as an auxiliary examination method.