Strange Taste in Mouth

In most cases, the phrase 'strange taste in mouth', for most people, often means the condition of metallic taste. As the name suggests, it causes the mouth to taste like metal, sour or maybe acidic. There is this condition known as dysgeusia, characterized by a malfunction in the sense of taste. And one of its symptoms can be a strange or metallic taste in mouth. Sometimes, this condition may be too mild to cause concern, but then, it does have the possibility to be a manifestation of something severely amiss in the body. So knowing about what could be the reason behind it, at an early stage, can keep things from getting ugly or let's say 'distasteful'.

What Could Cause this Condition?

Most common and obvious causes are associated with poor dental hygiene. Common ones may include:

• Tooth decay
• Gingivitis
• Tooth abscess
• Periodontitis

So these are some dental conditions which may exhibit this symptom. In some cases, certain medical conditions may also trigger a metallic taste in the mouth. The most common one of them is gastroesophageal reflux disease . Here, stomach acid is forced up the food pipe and this may cause your mouth to have an abnormal taste after eating. Gastritis, and heartburn could also cause the same.

The metallic taste can also have causes like exposure to copper toxicity, poisoning from lead or mercury, or overdose of selenium. Apart from these, some more possible causes include:

• Hormonal changes (in women)
• Alcohol abuse
• Ulcers
• Too much calcium in the blood
• Allergic reactions from foods
• Certain diseases of the kidneys or acute kidney failure
• Cancer (in some cases)
• Jaundice
• Administration of medications, which include antibiotics, depression medicines, and those prescribed for high blood pressure may also cause the mouth to have an abnormal taste.

Treatment Methods

The best treatment is to address the underlying cause. For instance, if it is a tooth cavity, then consulting a dentist and fixing the issue, would eliminate the bad taste in mouth. But certain remedies may prove helpful ins dispelling the abnormal taste.

• One of the body's natural responses to fight strange taste is to produce saliva. And having citric juices increase salivation. Have orange, grapefruit, or lemon juice and you would notice an improvement within a few days. However, if the cause of the condition is gastritis then you may have to avoid anything that is acidic.
• Apart from brushing and flossing, scraping the tongue is also important. So as soon as you are done with it, rinse your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash, and clean your tongue, followed by rinsing with the mouthwash again. Remember, an unclean tongue harbors bacterial growth, which further adds to the unpleasant taste.
• If you are bothered with your taste going metallic then it may prove helpful to use plastic utensils.

If you feel that your mouth is tasting strange or funny occasionally, then it should not be a cause of concern. However, if you are already suffering from a condition like gastritis, and have an abnormal taste, then this warrants a medical visit. In such cases, treating the underlying problem is more important than what is apparent to the eye.