A metallic taste in the mouth is an unpleasant sensation from certain chemicals that is described by patients as "the taste of iron". Occurs when wearing dentures and braces, drinking mineral water, natural hormonal changes in women. Frequent aatological causes of the taste of metal in the mouth are diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys, chemical poisoning, anemia. To determine the etiology, blood tests, toxicological examination, excretory urography, radiography are prescribed. To eliminate the metallic taste, therapy of the underlying disease is necessary.
Some mineral waters used for medicinal purposes contain high concentrations of iron. This gives the water an intense metallic flavor. With frequent and prolonged use of such a liquid, a specific sensation persists in the mouth throughout the day. Water with a high content of chlorine, sulfates, bicarbonate also has a characteristic taste, which to many people resembles the taste of metal.
In most patients, an unpleasant feeling in the oral cavity does not impair the quality of life, so the intake of mineral waters is not canceled. Sometimes there is a strong metallic taste, against which nausea begins, appetite decreases, nervousness and irritability can be observed. Taste discomfort haunts a person all day, in the morning after waking up, the feeling of bitterness in the mouth is often disturbing.
Prostheses made of metal, during the first time after installation, provoke a constant unpleasant taste in the mouth, which decreases in 1-2 months as you get used to the foreign body. The appearance of a metallic taste is especially pronounced with poor-quality work by a dentist who uses alloys of different composition for the manufacture of several prostheses. Patients note a sharp irritating aftertaste that causes vomiting.
Common causes of specific taste sensations in children, adolescents and young adults are the wearing of braces or special plates to align the dentition. The severity of the metallic taste is greatest in the first days after braces are placed. The symptom also occurs in the presence of a tongue piercing, especially when using an earring made of low-quality alloy that is prone to oxidation.
Inflammation of the tissues around the tooth is accompanied by periodic bleeding from the gums, which begins spontaneously or after mechanical impact. Blood with periodontitis remains on the mucous membrane, enters the taste buds of the tongue, causing a characteristic metallic taste. Other dental causes also lead to the appearance of a symptom: periodontal disease, gingivitis, deep caries.
With iron deficiency anemia, the taste of metal appears in the mouth as one of the signs of sideropenic syndrome. Patients complain of a constant irritating aftertaste, disturbing for no apparent reason, which does not decrease after eating or drinking. Along with this, taste preferences change, there is a craving for the use of earth, ice, chalk and other inedible substances, which greatly enhances the intensity of the metallic taste.
A sharp unpleasant taste is also observed with B12-deficiency anemia. It becomes a consequence of atrophic changes in the mucous membrane of the tongue and oral cavity. At the same time, the ability to distinguish pleasant tastes is impaired, patients constantly feel a metallic taste or bitterness in the mouth. The development of the symptom is also due to minor bleeding from the affected mucosa, since the blood hemoglobin contains iron ions, which cause characteristic sensations.
Natural hormonal changes are the most common causes of a metallic taste in the mouth in women. The symptom is often found in pregnant women, for whom taste perversion and the periodic appearance of a metallic taste are typical, regardless of the meal. The sign is more typical for the first half of pregnancy, over time, the level of hormones stabilizes, the metallic taste disappears.
The manifestation may be associated with the ovulatory cycle. In women suffering from severe premenstrual syndrome, a couple of days before the onset of menstruation, metallic taste sensations are noted in the mouth. The taste of iron worries patients during menopause, when there is a sharp drop in the production of sex hormones and the resulting disturbances in all organs. Against the background of a metallic taste, appetite usually worsens.
An unpleasant taste of iron is more often manifested in lesions of the upper parts of the digestive tract with a predominance of destructive changes. With erosive gastritis and uncomplicated stomach ulcers, there is an increased production of hydrochloric acid, and blood is released from the damaged mucous membrane. At the same time, patients periodically feel the characteristic taste of metal in their mouths, experience excruciating heartburn and nausea.
The symptom is pathognomonic for varicose veins of the esophagus and a bleeding ulcer, when blood from the underlying sections is thrown into the oral cavity. Many patients mistake its taste for a metallic taste. With a significant amount of bleeding, a person spits out saliva mixed with blood, general weakness, dizziness and blanching of the skin are noted. This condition is an indication for emergency medical care.
Most kidney diseases are accompanied by the appearance of a metallic taste in the mouth, which is due to a violation of the excretory function of the organ and the accumulation of endogenous toxins in the blood. Complaints of severe dryness of the oral mucosa and an unpleasant "iron" taste are typical. The symptom intensifies with dehydration, and after rinsing the mouth with water, relief comes for a short time. The taste of metal felt in the mouth is caused by such reasons as:
The appearance of a metallic taste in the mouth is a pathognomonic symptom of exogenous intoxication with chemicals. Most often, poisoning is caused by copper or mercury salts, arsenic, and lead. Intoxication is more typical for men who come into contact with heavy metals in the course of their professional activities. The taste of metal is usually observed in the chronic form of poisoning.
Uncomfortable taste sensations are both the result of a toxic effect directly on the oral mucosa, and the result of a neurotoxic effect. The patient is worried about a constant aftertaste that occurs for no apparent reason. The symptom is accompanied by severe nausea, weakness, with saturnism (lead poisoning), a blue-black border forms on the gums.
Under the influence of different types of radiation in the body, disturbances occur at the cellular and molecular level, in which all organs and systems are affected. A specific "iron" taste is due to atrophy of the oral mucosa and the periodic development of bleeding. Symptoms are manifested by accidental exposure at work with non-compliance with safety precautions, as well as in cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy.
Most often, an unpleasant taste is associated with the use of antacids, which contain metal salts. The sign is determined immediately after taking the tablets and lasts 30-4 minutes. The severity of the metallic taste decreases after drinking water or brushing your teeth. The symptom is provoked by other medical causes:
Patients with complaints of a taste of iron are referred to a general practitioner. To understand why a metallic taste is felt in the mouth, the specialist deals with the exclusion of the most typical etiological factors. To do this, an anamnesis is collected, concomitant diseases and working conditions of a person are clarified. To make a diagnosis, a complex of laboratory and instrumental studies is prescribed, the most informative of which are:
To reduce the metallic taste, it is recommended to carefully monitor hygiene: brush your teeth at least 2 times a day, use a toothpick or floss after each meal, rinse your mouth with water. To kill the disturbing aftertaste, you can add spices with a strong aroma to food - cinnamon, cardamom, pepper. If the house has metal utensils, it is advisable to replace it with glass or ceramic.
If there is a strong metallic taste, doctors advise eating a mint candy or an orange slice, rinsing your mouth with water and lemon juice. Drugs should not be used uncontrollably, as they often leave an "iron" aftertaste. With a combination of taste disorders with nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain and general malaise, it is necessary to seek medical help as soon as possible.
The drug treatment regimen is selected depending on the cause of the appearance of a metallic taste in the mouth. In most cases, etiotropic drugs are prescribed that eliminate the underlying disease, and local remedies in the form of rinses are used for local lesions of the oral cavity. The most effective drugs are: