Why does bitterness appear in the mouth and what to do with it

1. Dry mouth

The perception of taste is highly dependentCamilla Cattaneo, Giorgio Gargari, Ranjan Koirala, Monica Laureati, Patrizia Riso, Simone Guglielmetti & Ella Pagliarini. New Insights into the Relationship between Taste Perception and Oral Microbiota Composition / Nature on the composition and number of bacteria that live in the oral cavity.

Saliva, with its antibacterial properties, reducesT. Vila, A. M. Rizk, A. S. Sultan, and M. A. Jabra-Rizk. The Power of Saliva: Antimicrobial and beyond / PLoS Pathogens the number of microorganisms. Therefore, when the mouth is dry, microbes multiply more actively. Because of this, taste changes, including the appearance of bitterness in the mouth.

What to do

First, rinse your mouth out thoroughly and drink a glass of water. Or, chewing sugar-free gum will help increase saliva production.

To prevent the bitter taste from appearing again, try to drink a glass of liquid (water, tea, compote, fruit drink) at least once every couple of hours.

2. Poor oral hygiene

It causes bacteria to multiply in the mouth, and some of them can cause a bitter taste.

What to do

Thoroughly clean teeth again: spend at least 2 minutes on the procedure and use dental floss. In the future, try to monitor oral hygiene: bacteria can lead not only to unpleasant taste sensations, but also to very painful caries.

3. Pine nut syndrome

In some people, pine nuts causeD. S. Risso, L. Howard, C. VanWaes, and D. Drayna. A Potential Trigger for Pine Mouth: a Case of a Homozygous PTC Taster / Nutrition Research a curious reaction - a bitter-metallic taste may appear in the mouth within two days after the meal. With the use of other products, the latter will only intensify. Scientists call this effect Pine Nut Syndrome.

What to do

Wait. Usually, the bitterness in the mouth disappears by itself after 2-4 weeks.

4. Pregnancy

Pregnancy is often accompanied byE. Choo, R. Dando. The Impact of Pregnancy on Taste Function / Chemical Senses changes in taste. This is caused by hormonal changes in the body, as well as the immune response and changes in the composition of the blood.

Usually expectant mothers complainSigns and Symptoms of Pregnancy / NHS on metallic taste in the mouth, however, it can sometimes appearM. L. Sipiora, M. A. Murtaugh, M. B. Gregoire, V. B. Duffy. Bitter Taste Perception and Severe Vomiting in Pregnancy / Physiology & Behavior feeling of bitterness.

What to do

Just wait it out. Strange taste sensations, as a rule, occur only in the first trimester of pregnancy and disappear by the middle of the term.

5. Side effect of medications

The study authors, published in the Canadian Family Physician journal, calculatedR. Douglass, G. Heckman. Drug-Related Taste Disturbance / Canadian Family Physicianthat bitterness in the mouth can be provoked by at least 250 different drugs. Including popular:

• antibiotics, for example, tetracycline or quinolone series;
• drugs for hypertension;
• diuretics;
• migraine medications;
• muscle relaxants;
• antidepressants - in particular, most tricyclic;
• sedatives and hypnotics;
• antihistamines;
• various anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antifungal drugs.

In each case, the changes in taste occur for different reasons. For example, some agents affect the composition of saliva, while others act directly on the brain and cause malfunctions in the areas that are responsible for the perception of taste.

What to do

If you suspect medication-related bitterness in your mouth, talk to your doctor. Perhaps he will find you another drug without such a side effect.

6. Heartburn

It appears when gastric juice rises into the esophagus and irritates its walls. Often heartburn accompanied by a burning sensation in the chest and the appearance of a sour taste. But sometimes it can taste bitter in the mouth10 GERD Symptoms Not Recognized by Most Acid Reflux Sufferers / Central California Endoscopy Center.

Note that if heartburn attacks recur more than a couple of times a week, doctors talk about gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This is a condition that needs to be treated.

What to do

If you suspect GERD, you should consult a physician or a gastroenterologist right away. To cope with heartburn, your doctor will recommend you make some lifestyle changes: reduce portions, avoid fatty and fried foods, skip before bed, and sleep on a pillow. The latter is necessary so that the head during sleep is above the level of the chest. However, sometimes GERD can only be managed with medication.

7. Zinc deficiency

This is a common reasonT. Yagi, A. Asakawa, H. Ueda, S. Ikeda. The Role of Zinc in the Treatment of Taste Disorders / Recent Patents on Food, Nutrition & Agriculture taste disturbances.

Why this is so, scientists have not yet fully figured out. But there is a version. Zinc is known to increaseA. R. Shatzman and R. I. Henkin. Gustin Concentration Changes Relative to Salivary Zinc and Taste in Humans / Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America concentration of gustin - a protein that the body needs to renew taste buds. When there is not enough mineral, they recover worse and begin to fail.

In particular, zinc deficiency affectsT. Kojima, T. Maeda, A. Suzuki, T. Yamamori, Yasumasa Kato. Intracellular Zinc-Dependent TAS2R8 Gene Expression through CTCF Activation / Biomedical Research on the perception of a bitter taste: it becomes stronger and more distinct, which is why even fairly neutral products begin to taste bitter.

What to do

Check with a therapist. Zinc deficiency can usually be detectedL. Maxfield, S. Shukla, J. S. Crane. Zinc Deficiency / StatPearls when analyzing blood for this mineral.

If the deficiency is confirmed, the doctor will suggest eating more products high in zinc:

• beans and other legumes;
• red meat;
• shellfish;
• pumpkin seeds and cashews;
• dark chocolate;
• cheese.

In addition, the specialist will try to establish the reason why you are lacking an important element, and will help to correct it.

8. Hepatitis B

Obsessive bitter taste in the mouth can beHepatitis B - Symptoms, Treatment, Vaccination / Southern Cross Medical Library one of the early symptoms of liver damage - in particular, hepatitis B.

Other early signs of illness include:

• bad breath;
• loss of appetite;
• the temperature is slightly above 37 ° C;
• nausea;
• diarrhea.

What to do

Do not tolerate. If bitterness in the mouth haunts you regularly, and even more so if it is accompanied by other symptoms, try to see a therapist as soon as possible. The doctor will examine you, ask you about other symptoms, and most likely write a referral for tests. Depending on their results, you will be prescribed treatment.

9. Inflammatory or autoimmune disease

In response to the inflammatory process, specific proteins are produced in the body. One of them, the so-called TNF-α, is able to influenceN. Rogers. Why Illness Might Leave a Bitter Taste in the Mouth / Nature taste sensations and cause bitterness in the mouth.

What to do

As in the previous case, there is only one advice: do not tolerate. Regularly arising bitterness in the mouth is a reason to consult with a therapist, pass the tests offered by him and, if necessary, start treatment.