Metallic Taste in Mouth After Eating

When you smell some delicious pasta or a hot dog from far away, you tend to start salivating. In fact, even the thought of tasty food makes us salivate. The taste buds present in the mouth on the tongue and the palate are designed to function by making us aware of our sense of taste. However, when there is disturbance in the sensation of taste, then it leads to abnormal taste or dysgeusia. A metallic taste in mouth, also known as metallogeusia, is one of the specific types of dysgeusia. Some people may complain of a metallic taste in mouth all the time whereas others seem to have it after eating food.

Causes

Infection
If along with a bitter taste in mouth after eating, you also have symptoms like white coating on the tongue or pain and burning sensation while eating and swallowing, then you are most likely suffering from oral thrush, which is a fungal infection caused due to Candida albicans. This fungal infection leads to white spots on tongue which alter the functioning of the taste buds, thus, causing a metallic taste after eating.

Diet
There are certain things or ingredients in your dish that may lead to a metallic taste. One very common food type that has gained notoriety for leading to a metallic taste in the mouth is pine nuts. Metallic taste after eating pine nuts is something that many people who added this nutritious ingredient to their diet have complained of. It is not known as to what chemical in pine nuts is leading to the development of a metallic taste, but it is said that this is not because of a toxic element nor are any kind of pesticides to blame. Most people that consume even a handful of pine nuts, complain of having a metallic and bad taste in mouth after eating, which makes almost any and every food group very unpalatable.

These changes are usually noted about a day or so after consumption and the effects are not exactly long lasting nor is there a need for any kind of active treatment as the condition is self-limiting. So, all the pine nuts health benefits notwithstanding, it looks like pine nuts bitter taste will leave it with far fewer fans compared to the time when many health conscious people awoke to its benefits.

Other Causes
Sometimes, a person may develop a bitter taste in mouth due to a side effect of a medication; although, it is a relatively rare side effect. People who use a lot of mouthwashes without prescription also at times, develop a metallic taste in the mouth due to some of the ingredients present in the mouthwash. This is the reason why dentists often advise patients to not abuse or constantly use mouthwashes but instead to take a break from using one incessantly after a bottle is over. Sometimes, this may even be a reaction to a new toothpaste you try out or bring home, although such cases are sporadic and it is an idiosyncratic reaction, so it is best to change your toothpaste to your regular one. One of the causes is intake of excess amount of iron in syrup form. This is often prescribed to patients that are anemic. Some women also complain of a metallic taste in mouth during pregnancy which usually happens due to the hormonal changes taking place in the woman's body at this time.

The treatment for this condition will depend on the underlying cause. Although most of the causes are mild and self-limiting, if this condition persists or is accompanied by some other symptom, like pain or bad breath, then it is best to visit a dentist and get your condition diagnosed and treated.