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A bitter aftertaste is a normal reaction after eating, for example, chicory salad or drinking black coffee. However, when bitterness accompanies us regardless of food, it can have a more mysterious source – dental problems, hormonal fluctuations, drug side effects, and it can even signal a serious illness.
Bitter, bitter
Taste is a complex sense that can be influenced by many factors. Dysgeusia in the mouth has its medical term – dysgeusia. The taste is then perceived as unpleasant, bitter, metallic, salty or even rancid. It can be present for a long time and will persist after brushing until the cause has been found and eliminated. This embarrassing condition is like the proverbial “tar spoon in a barrel of honey”, it can interfere with normal functioning, cause discomfort, take pleasure in eating, or be one of a series of distressing symptoms, depending on the underlying condition.
Are you looking for help at the dentist? This is not always the case. There can be many causes of a bitter taste in the mouth. They are among those relatively trivial, such as diet or heartburn, to those that are really serious, such as systemic or neurological diseases.
Therefore, it is worth starting the process of diagnosis and treatment by talking to a general practitioner who will collect a detailed interview and implement the treatment or refer you to another specialist. In such situations, online consultations with doctors work well, because in a few minutes, via the telemedicine platform, we can talk to doctors of many specializations – without leaving home.
The cause may be in the mouth
Among the reasons may be those related to oral health. – One of the causes of the bitter aftertaste may be dry mouth due to insufficient saliva, i.e. xerostomia. Saliva is a barrier to germs, it contains, among others special proteins, the so-called defensins that disturb the metabolism of fungi and bacteria. Therefore, the less saliva we produce, the better conditions we create for the development of microorganisms. Then the risk of caries and gum disease increases – says Dr. Aleks Charniuk, a dentist from Stankowscy & Białach Stomatologia in Poznań.
The constant feeling of dry mouth can be caused by, among other things, in old age, medications (e.g. antidepressants), autoimmune disease, e.g. Sjögren’s syndrome, smoking or a fatty diet full of spicy spices, which helps dry the oral mucosa. Even a stuffy nose can result in dryness because then we breathe through the mouth. If you suffer from a permanent lack of moisture in your mouth, it is worth talking to your doctor during the visit and determining the cause of the problem. You can also use special preparations, e.g. so-called saliva substitutes, i.e. gels that moisturize the mucous membranes and bring relief to patients.
Persistent bitterness can also result from poor oral hygiene, which promotes tooth decay, mouth infections, and gum disease. A metallic taste in the mouth is a characteristic symptom of gingivitis and periodontitis, where soft tissue bleeding and tooth infection may occur. Then the feeling will not go away until the condition is cured. To avoid these problems, remember to regularly check and remove tartar at the dentist’s office, brush and floss your teeth regularly, and clean your tongue with a scraper. Cannadent toothpaste will help you get rid of the unpleasant sensation and reduce the amount of bacteria. The paste contains plant extracts, including rosemary with antibacterial properties and mint to freshen the breath.
Descaling is professionally called scaling. You can perform the procedure quickly and safely in the Polmed medical center.
Mouthwash will also help. It does not necessarily have to be alcoholic, but contain e.g. herbal extracts. It is important that it has antiseptic and antibacterial properties. If we cannot use the mouth rinse, we can rinse our teeth with water or use chewing gum to restore the proper pH in the mouth. After meals, especially after eating sweets or carbonated drinks, the pH will be acidic. This is the easiest way to develop bacteria, demineralise tooth enamel and cavities – explains the dentist.
Burning mouth syndrome (BMS – burning mouth syndrome), a chronic disease of the oral mucosa, can also cause dysgeusia. It is characterized by pain, burning and burning sensation similar to the consumption of hot pepper. Sometimes it is accompanied by a dry mouth, bitterness or a metallic taste. Symptoms of the disease may appear sporadically or annoy constantly, punctually (usually the tongue) or throughout the mouth. Some patients with the condition may find it difficult to consume food or drink, while others may find relief at meals.
Oral fungal infection can also result in an unpleasant aftertaste that lasts until the problem is cured. Additionally, it is easily recognized by the white, cheesy coating on the tongue, throat and oral mucosa. You can rule out the presence of fungi in your body thanks to shipping diagnostic tests.
– There is also, although rarely, an allergic reaction to orthodontic braces, and more precisely to elements made of nickel, chromium and copper, which can also be manifested by taste disturbances, itching, redness or cracking of the mouth corners. Therefore, in a patient allergic to metals, we use elements without nickel, which is the most allergenic, or overlay devices made of flexible, non-allergenic material. If the patient is aware of his allergy, it is worth informing the dentist about it before treatment – says Dr. Charniuk.
A storm of hormones, stress, peanuts or a serious illness?
The symptom is not always caused by dental problems. A bitter or metallic taste in the mouth is a common ailment in pregnant women, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy (the problem usually disappears during or after pregnancy) and in menopausal women (a decrease in estrogen results in a burning mouth syndrome). It is directly caused by hormones that affect the functioning of the taste buds and change the perception of taste.
Disturbed sense of taste, including a bitter taste in the mouth, can also be caused by: acid reflux or gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. GERD (regurgitation of acid content from the stomach and duodenum into the esophagus causes an unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth). The esophagus causes an unpleasant taste in the mouth. Oncological treatment may also be responsible for taste disorders. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy cause irritation of taste receptors in some patients, and as a result, a bitter taste may occur even after eating a sandwich or drinking water. Also allergies, respiratory infections, e.g. inflammation sinuses, strep throat, pharyngitis and colds can make you more sensitive to bitter tastes.
The long-term exposure to inhalation of lead or mercury or … pine nuts, which are used to prepare e.g. Italian pesto sauce. For some people, the consumption of pine nuts may cause a mysterious state called “pine mouth” or “pine nut syndrome” (pine – pine nuts, mouth – mouth), i.e. a bitter, metallic taste in the mouth lasting up to several days after their consumption . The cause is unknown, but it may be related to the chemicals used in the shelling process, a genetic predisposition, or the oil becoming rancid.
Does it heal?
Although an unpleasant taste in the mouth is not a disease, if it has been with us for many days, it may signal an abnormality and require a medical consultation. Getting rid of the problem requires finding the root cause.
A checkup with a dentist is recommended to check for dryness, problems with the teeth, gums and mouth infections. If the dentist does not find any abnormalities, we can go to the family doctor who will conduct an interview, ask about other symptoms, medications used and, if necessary, order appropriate tests or refer to a specialist, e.g. a gastroenterologist (reflux), neurologist, endocrinologist or diabetologist (diabetes). Only then will it be possible to diagnose and treat the disease responsible for the unpleasant sensation in the oral cavity in a targeted way. Once the cause is found and treatment is started, the perception of tastes should return to normal and the unusual aftertaste will disappear.
A dental visit can be arranged as part of the dental package offered by Lux Med. The package includes unlimited dental treatments.
Does bitterness take its toll? These methods can help
Home-made, easy-to-follow remedies can help and relieve symptoms in the short term. They include:
– proper oral hygiene: brushing and flossing teeth, min. 2 times a day, using rinses with antibacterial properties,
– chewing sugar-free gum, which stimulates the production of saliva and restores the proper pH,
– avoiding sugar, paradoxically sugar increases the bitterness in the mouth,
– hydrating and drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day, for example with the addition of haskap berry juice,
– avoiding risk factors, e.g. in the case of reflux disease, it will be giving up a fatty, hard-to-digest diet, spicy spices, fried foods, reducing or eliminating tobacco products and alcohol,
– if you consume large amounts of drugs and supplements, make sure the dose is appropriate or ask your doctor to change your medications.
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