Sour Taste in Mouth

Everyone wakes up in the morning with a sour taste in mouth. The main cause of sour taste in mouth is the uncontrollable growth of bacteria at the back of tongue. However, there may be several other reasons why a person experiences a sour taste in mouth.

Causes of Sour Taste in Mouth

Bacteria
Anaerobic bacteria are responsible for the sulfur like smell in the mouth. Since, these bacteria breed at the back of your tongue, it is obvious that you experience a sour taste in mouth. During the day, the functioning of these bacteria is disrupted by the saliva. Saliva is responsible for breaking down the bacteria. However, at night, the production of saliva drops drastically, which leads to uncontrollable growth of bacteria. Thus, a person experiences bad breath and a sour taste in mouth. Also, the bacteria accumulate and result in the coating which a person can feel, taste and smell.

Post Nasal Drip
Post nasal drip is another major cause of sour taste in mouth. The nasal mucus is rich in protein and provides good food for the bacteria. As a result, the bacteria multiply largely and accumulate at the back of tongue, which leads to sour taste in mouth. This is the reason why, a person is most prone to sour taste in mouth, when he suffers from sinus infection.

Heartburn
Heartburn is yet another cause of sour taste in mouth. The esophagus relaxes while digestion, which causes the stomach acid and undigested food particles to wash back in your throat. This results in sour taste in the mouth.

Zenker's Diverticulum
This is a condition in which decayed food particles accumulate in the pouch of esophagus. If a person lies down after eating, then these particles fall out from the pouch and revert in the throat, resulting in sour taste in mouth.

Deficiencies and Disorders
Certain vitamin deficiencies, gum diseases, pregnancy etc. can lead to sour taste in mouth. Similarly, certain drugs are also capable of inducing sour taste in mouth. Sour taste in mouth is also attributed to certain foodstuffs. Chronic illnesses like diabetes or respiratory disorders also contribute to sour taste in mouth.

Phantom Sour Taste in Mouth
This condition is due to the misinterpretation of olfactory sense by the nerves. It is a neurological disorder in which the nerves interpret any smell as offensive, when it is not the case in reality. This may lead to an illusion of sour taste in mouth. Epileptic seizures are often preceded by the sour taste in mouth. This is a serious condition and the person should immediately consult a physician, if the sour taste in mouth persists for long.

Preventing Sour Taste in Mouth
Sour taste in mouth can be prevented by controlling the growth of bacteria. This can be done by keeping your mouth clean all the time and scraping off the bacterial scum with the help of a tongue scraper. If the cause of sour taste in mouth is other than bacterial overgrowth, then it is wise to take an opinion of a qualified physician.

Sour taste in mouth can be a symptom of any major disorder. Hence, if the sour taste in mouth persists, in spite of taking all the hygiene measures, there is a need to diagnose the problem and treat the underlying disorder.