Causes of Metallic taste in the Mouth
Causes of Metallic taste in the Mouth
1. Not Flossing or Brushing: Ignoring your dental health can lead to tooth or gum infections like gingivitis or periodontitis. A more severe condition called acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis can happen suddenly. Along with other symptoms, these issues can trigger bad breath and a metallic taste in your mouth.
2. Sinus Trouble: Your senses of smell and taste are closely linked. So any issues with your sinuses might affect your taste buds. Once you’ve kicked the infection clogging your sinuses, your mouth should go back to normal.
3. Prescription Drugs: Changes in taste and dry mouth (which can lead to that metallic flavor) are side effects of some medications. The most common culprits include antibiotics like tetracycline, the gout medication allopurinol, the psychiatric drug lithium, and some heart meds.
4. Vitamins: Everyday multivitamins with heavy metals like zinc, iron, or copper can leave behind a metallic aftertaste. The same goes for prenatal vitamins, iron and calcium supplements, and cold remedies that have zinc in them. The problem usually goes away once your body processes the medication.
5. Indigestion: Heartburn, bloating, extra gas, reflux -- these symptoms of indigestion can lead to a metallic flavor in your mouth. Once you treat your indigestion, the problem should go away.
6. Pregnancy: You’re growing another human. And all those hormones surging through your body can do a number on your taste buds. You might lose taste for your favorite foods or crave weird snacks. You may get a metal tang in your mouth, too.
7. Kidney Failure: Chronic kidney failure caused by nerve damage from diabetes, high blood pressure, lupus, chronic infections, or kidney diseases can lead to multiple problems in your body, like a metallic taste in your mouth.
8. Chemicals: If your job puts you in the path of metal fumes like zinc oxide, it might mess with your sense of taste. Welders are at high risk of a condition called metal fume fever. It makes you very thirsty and causes a metallic taste in your mouth. It typically goes away in 6-12 hours.
Source: WebMD