When we are talking about a metallic taste in the mouth, it is often hard to decipher what we mean, right? Well, if you have felt the same kind of taste, chances are that there could be a number of reasons behind the said condition.
For the most part, you might also experience consistent copper taste in the mouth, mainly because of the fact that you could either be taking some kind of medication or even experiencing it when you put your bloody finger in your mouth.
In here, we are going to discuss about some of the reasons why your mouth tastes like metal and how you can get rid of it.
What is Metallic Taste in Mouth?
If you are confused as to why you could be experiencing the stringent taste all of a sudden, it is important that you know of the pathway that leads you to have the sense of taste.
It is the olfactory sensory neurons that play the primary role when it comes to the sense of smell. The nerve endings responsible for these are what send and relay forward the signals which are then identified by the sense of taste. There could be a number of factors responsible for this.
This is the reason why doctors suggest that there could be multiple reasons why you are experiencing this sudden change in taste.
What are the reasons for metallic taste in mouth?
Knowing the same does solve more than half of the problems.
Some of the possible causes behind the metallic taste in mouth include:
1. Certain medications
There are several types of medications that are believed to contribute to this condition, the predominant ones being the gout medicine and even the hypertension medication. Others include psychiatric medications and some of the medicines that are used for the treatment of the cardiac conditions.
Why the same contributes is because when you consume the medicine, the same is absorbed in the body and the rest of it comes out in the saliva, causing a side effect with the bad lingering taste in the mouth.
2. Improper oral hygiene
Some of the dental health issues like gum diseases and periodontitis can further contribute to the condition of the metallic taste that you have been experiencing. There aren’t many studies that prove how the same happens, but it is a fact.
Often times, lack of proper oral hygiene tends to affect the oral health and even impose infections which have been found to have negative impacts and leave behind a weird taste in the mouth that you might be experiencing.
3. Infections
In addition to that, if you leave the infection untreated, chances are that the same will end up affecting your health for the worse and impose further risks of the bad health that you could be experiencing.
4. Chemotherapy
If you are undergoing cancer treatment, especially chemotherapy and radiation, the same further does contribute to the condition of the metallic taste that you are experiencing.
It is believed that the same could be because of the chemicals and the medications that are being injected into their body that could further be contributing to the condition of the unique taste that you might have been experiencing.
5. Pregnancy
It is not a certain fact but could be one of the many contributing factors that you could be experiencing.
6. Dementia
The taste abnormalities that they face could be because of the affected cognitive functioning but nothing is set in stone yet. Given that there are possibilities that one’s portion of the brain relating to taste could be affected, the same ends up contributing to the condition of the copper and metal like taste that you have been experiencing.
How to get rid of metallic taste in mouth?
It is quite important that you further focus on the remedies that we are going to mention if you want noticeable results.
1. Use salt water mouth rinse
Given that salt has potent antimicrobial properties (R), the same has been found quite effective in helping improve the condition and get rid of the infection for good.
What to do?
- Warm up a cup of water
- To that, add 1 tsp of salt and mix till it dissolves
- Use this to gargle and rinse your mouth
- Do this 2 times daily
2. Oil pulling
Using coconut oil is one of the best options for oil pulling, mainly because of the beneficial properties that it has.
What to do?
- Start by taking 1 tbsp of coconut oil in your mouth
- Using this to swish around your mouth for 10 minutes
- Once done, spit it out of the mouth
- Rinse the mouth with some warm water
- Do this twice daily
3. Baking soda
Making a mouthwash with baking soda helps restore the pH balance of the mouth and even prevents the unnecessary copper taste that you might have been experiencing.
What to do?
- Take a glass of warm water
- To that, add 1/4th tsp of baking soda and mix
- Use this as a mouthwash and rinse your mouth
- Do this twice a day for better benefits
4. Green tea
If you have any sort of infection, the green tea can help keep that in check as well.
What to do?
- Fill a cup with some boiling water
- Steep a green teabag for 3 minutes
- Drink that twice a day
5. Keep yourself hydrated
Drinking at least 8 glasses of water on a daily basis helps keep you hydrated and prevents the risks of dry mouth, thus helping prevent the metallic taste that everyone complains about.
6. Chew gum
7. Avoid smoking
8. Brushing teeth
How to prevent metallic taste in mouth?
As there could be a number of reasons behind the condition of the metallic taste in mouth, prevention is always better than cure.
In order to prevent it, you first need to realize what is causing it in the first place. Once that is sorted out, it does become a lot easier for you to prevent it from happening again.
Some of the best way to prevent metallic taste in mouth includes:
- Maintain proper oral hygiene
- Eat a balanced diet
- Keep yourself hydrated
The metallic taste in mouth is something that you need to fix as soon as possible as the same can create a disinterest in your will to eat as well. If you find the condition persistent, it is best that you see a doctor for it to get a proper diagnosis for the condition.