Sweet taste in the mouth: causes, diagnosis, treatment

A change in taste perception is a sign that signals the possible development of various pathologies in the body.

The most common discomfort conditions include a sweet taste in the mouth; the causes of its occurrence in women and men, diagnostic methods and treatment regimens are discussed in detail in the material below.

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.

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.

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.

Pathological causes

Sometimes you can tell from a symptom which disease it indicates. A common cause of the problem is developing diseases of the oral cavity: stomatitis, gingivitis, periodontal disease. The sour taste appears due to the mixing of blood residues with saliva. The same symptom can be observed for some time after the removal of a diseased tooth. Caries and pulpitis also lead to changes in the taste characteristics of saliva. In case of violations, the pathogenic flora in the oral cavity actively multiplies. The waste products of bacteria acidify saliva and contribute to the rapid destruction of the enamel of the problematic tooth.

Other pathological reasons why a sour taste appears in the mouth include:

Damage to ENT organs: sinusitis, sinusitis. Additionally, the disorders are accompanied by headaches and breathing difficulties. An unpleasant taste in the mouth is caused by bacteria that enter the throat from the upper respiratory tract. The symptom can be eliminated only after treating the underlying disease.

Gastritis with high acidity. A sour taste in the mouth occurs during exacerbation of the disease. Additionally, it is accompanied by pain in the upper abdomen, belching, and flatulence. The taste of acid becomes especially pronounced after sleep or eating. Exacerbations of the disease are eliminated after consultation with a gastroenterologist.

Bitter taste in mouth

Emission of toxic fumes when working in hazardous industries: arsenic, lead, mercury. Harmful substances tend to accumulate in the tissues of the human body. In this case, an unpleasant (metallic) taste will appear in a person until he changes his place of work. The unpleasant sensation is especially aggravated after drinking coffee or strong tea, or smoking. Most often men face this problem.

Gastroduodenitis. The disease can manifest itself against the background of gastritis with high acidity. In addition to the problem under consideration, the pathology is accompanied by sleep disturbances, pale skin, weakness and frequent headaches.

Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum. If there is a disturbance on the surface of the mucous membranes of the digestive tract, lesions are formed in appearance that resemble bleeding wounds. A sour taste in the mouth appears in patients after sleep and immediately after eating. Additional signs by which the disorder can be recognized are hungry stomach pains that subside after eating.

Biliary dyskinesia. The pathology is associated with a violation of the outflow of bile in the body. In this case, patients feel a sour-bitter bite in the morning, which goes away during the day. The problem is characterized by the appearance of dull pain in the right hypochondrium, radiating to the shoulder and shoulder blades. Another pathology that can cause similar symptoms is cholelithiasis. It is associated with the formation of stones in the gallbladder and its ducts. When stones move through the ducts, a person feels unbearable pain.

Cholecystitis. Saliva acquires a bitter-sour taste due to errors in nutrition. This occurs due to the fact that bile and gastric juice are thrown into the esophagus. Additional signs of cholecystitis are dull pain in the right hypochondrium with increased body temperature.

Alahazia of the esophagus is a problem associated with difficulty swallowing food. It is also characterized by difficult movement of pieces of food along the esophagus and the throwing of gastric contents out, as with gastroduodenitis. After eating, pain may be felt in the throat and behind the sternum. The acidity of saliva during halachia is associated with the production of large amounts of lactic acid, which is necessary for the breakdown of food.

Hernia in the diaphragm area. The problem becomes the reason that food is constantly thrown into the esophagus. The patient notes a bitter or sour taste in the mouth and constant heartburn.

Pancreatitis in a chronic form. Accompanied by stool disturbances, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Damage to the pancreas provokes a feeling of sourness and dryness in the mouth.

Rare pathological causes that can also cause a persistent taste in the mouth:

• neurological problems;
• parasite infection;
• intestinal spasms;
• anemia;
• avitaminosis.

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.

Features of treatment

Before eliminating an unpleasant taste in the mouth, it is imperative to find out the cause of its appearance. To do this, you first need to consult with a therapist, who, after an initial examination and interview, will refer you to a gastroenterologist. Depending on the disease, treatment may involve taking medications or adjusting your diet.

Diet food

If an unpleasant taste appears, especially if it is a symptom of a digestive tract disease, the pregnant woman needs to change her diet. A few recommendations for creating a diet menu:

• exclude smoked, fatty, fried foods from the menu;
• include fresh vegetables and fruits in your diet, but do not get carried away with cabbage and legumes;
• eat more iron-containing foods - buckwheat, apples, pomegranates, seaweed and liver;
• The basis of the dishes should be lean meat and fish, which can be boiled, baked in the oven or steamed.

Equally important is the frequency and regularity of food intake. If you have gastrointestinal diseases, you need to eat often, but the portions should be small. Under no circumstances should you overeat, but you shouldn’t starve either.

Drug therapy

What medications can help with bitterness or sourness in the mouth? Medicines for pregnant women are prescribed only by a doctor, taking into account medical indications. The treatment regimen directly depends on the cause of the unpleasant taste in the mouth. The following groups of medications are most often prescribed:

• prokinetics - affect the motor function of the stomach (Domperidone, Cerucal, Motilium, Itoprid, Fractal, Osetron);
• antisecretory drugs - Rennie, Almagel, Maalox, Phosphalugel;
• preparations containing iron - Maltofer, Aktiferrin, Sorbifer, Ferlatum, Venofer;
• enzymes to improve digestion - Pancreatin, Creon, Mezim, Festal, Somilase;
• multivitamin complexes - Elevit, Vitrum, Complivit Mama, Pregnakea, Materna, Femibion.

Traditional medicine

How to get rid of acid or bitterness in the mouth using traditional methods? The most effective decoctions of medicinal herbs and vegetable juices are:

• To eliminate bitterness, it is recommended to regularly drink vegetable juices, especially carrot juice;
• Potato juice is suitable for rinsing;
• if the unpleasant taste in the mouth is associated with dental problems and inflammation of the gums, rinsing with chamomile decoction will help;
• To disinfect the oral cavity, it is recommended to rinse your mouth with a solution of soda and salt.

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.

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.