When people think about the quality of their oral health, they often fixate primarily on how their mouth looks and feels. Sometimes, they might worry about how their breath smells. But those aren’t the only senses involved in dentistry.
The way your mouth tastes can also be a good way to determine if you’re suffering from an oral health problem. For example, have you recently noticed a bitter or foul taste in your mouth? If so, here are a few reasons that that could be the case.
Dry Mouth
One of the biggest reasons you could have a funny taste in your mouth has to do with a lack of saliva. Saliva is used to usher food particles out of the mouth and into the stomach, so having less of it may cause bacteria to flourish in your mouth. It can also cause things to taste more bitter when you eat them.
You may have a chronic dry mouth for any number of reasons—it’s often a consequence of smoking, aging, and even certain kinds of medication (like antidepressants).
Oral Infection
If you’ve noticed a foul or rancid taste in your mouth, that could be because you’re suffering from an incredibly serious oral infection. If you notice that the unpleasant taste is accompanied by a toothache, irritated gums, or a painful sore on the gums themselves, those are all signs that gum disease is the culprit.
At this point, you should see your dentist immediately, as this level of infection could result in tooth or bone loss.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, hormones can fluctuate wildly and cause a variety of strange issues. In particular, variabilities in estrogen can change how food tastes, which leads to some of the cravings that people experience.
People often report a bitter or metallic taste in their mouth during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester or so. If you’re dealing with that now, it’s possible that this will fade in the later parts of pregnancy, or after giving birth.
These are just a few of the things that could be causing a funny taste in the mouth. To know for sure, you would have to talk to a dentist—they’ll not only be able to diagnose your issue, but help you to deal with it.
About the Author
Dr. Carole Emanuel began her career as a dental assistant before obtaining her doctorate, achieving her dream of becoming a dentist. She’s spent the last 25 years helping her patients smile, and at this point, she’s confident in saying that she has seen it all. Dr. Emanuel received her dental degree from Indiana University School of Dentistry, and since graduating she has completed well over 500 hours of advanced education.
If you have any questions about oral infection, she can be reached at her website or by phone at (303) 986-0090.