Simple Treatments To Fix Bad Taste in the Mouth

The off-putting taste in our mouth is enough to kill our appetite, causing nutritional deficiencies and making us conscious in the public eye.

Both these factors work to disturb the routine life of a person. 

Bad taste in the mouth can be due to various factors like bad breath, poor dental hygiene, infection, eating specific food items, etc.

Fortunately, you can get rid of it by using a few remedies. However, if the bad taste in the mouth is recurrent, it may be happening because of a bigger health issue.

In this blog, you can learn how to fix the bad taste in your mouth using a few tips with easily accessible items.

What Does a Bad Taste in the Mouth Feel Like?

Different people have different ideas about what constitutes a bad taste in the mouth. 

Some people get a metallic aftertaste in their mouths. 

Depending on the reason, some people may define a bad taste in the mouth as bitter or just unpleasant. 

There are several possible explanations for the bad taste in the mouth, so it won't be correct to run after just one cause. 

A lot of factors interfere with the sense of taste in your mouth, especially after you consume a meal. 

Hence, ask yourself if the bad taste in your mouth is consistent or if it is just the aftertaste from the food or liquid you drank.

15 Reasons for Bad Taste in Mouth 

The most common reasons for having a bad taste in your mouth are as follows:

  1. Extremely Neglected Dental Care Routine: Not getting enough dental care can lead to gum disease, tooth decay, infections, and a bad taste in the mouth.

  2. Medication: A number of prescription and over-the-counter drugs have the potential to produce dry mouth or come out as saliva.

  3. Dry Mouth: A bad taste in the mouth can also be caused by a lack of saliva because saliva acts as a natural buffer and contains nutrients. Several medical disorders, including diabetes, cancer treatment, smoking, blocked noses, and even aging, can cause dry mouth. Due to this condition, saliva loses its tendency to act as a buffer.

  4. Respiratory Issues: An upper respiratory illness may impact your taste perception or sinuses. People who contract viral infections complain about having a bad taste in their mouth. Alternatively, a viral infection like tonsillitis or the common cold may cause it.

  5. Hepatitis B: In the early stages, nausea and a metallic aftertaste in your mouth may indicate liver-related issues. 

  6. Pregnancy Or Menopause: During this period of intense hormonal fluctuation, some women notice changes in their taste. When going through menopause or the first trimester of pregnancy, many women describe having a metallic or bitter taste in their mouths. The medical term for this condition is dysgeusia, and hormone fluctuations are the primary cause of it. Additionally, this metallic taste in your mouth has been connected to different estrogen levels.

  7. Neurological Disorders: Disorders like dementia impact the neurological system because nerves detect flavour. Other factors that may cause nerve damage include brain tumours, head trauma, and epilepsy. 

  8. Pine Nut Syndrome: It is a rare condition that some people may experience 12–48 hours after swallowing pine nuts. The most common sign of pine nut syndrome is a metallic or bitter aftertaste. The eating of other foods could increase this. Pine nut syndrome may endure for two to four weeks.

  9. Exposure to Heavy Metals: Mercury and lead can have a bad taste and pose health risks.

  10. Burning Mouth Syndrome: It is a condition that results in a burning sensation and, occasionally, an unpleasant taste in the mouth.

  11. Nutritional Supplements: When taking supplements for a vitamin deficiency, particularly those containing calcium, chromium, copper, iron, zinc, vitamin D, or a multivitamin or prenatal vitamin, you may experience a metallic taste on your tongue. 

  12. Radiation and Chemotherapy: A typical side effect of chemotherapy and radiation on the taste receptors in your tongue is a metallic or salty taste that may affect you if you are receiving treatment for cancer. 

  13. Gastrointestinal Problems: Bile and acid reflux symptoms are similar and can occur simultaneously. They are brought on by either stomach acid travelling up your esophagus or bile, a fluid produced in your liver that aids in digestion.

  14. Drugs: The sensation of taste can also be adversely affected by antibiotic use. Therefore, people suggest using a saltwater rinse if someone has a bad taste in their mouth because of antibiotics.

  15. Oral Thrush: An additional cause of a bitter taste in your tongue is an oral thrush, a yeast infection of the mouth. You should visit a dentist if you notice any white lumps, redness, difficulty swallowing, or dry mouth. These are all signs of oral thrush. Anyone may have this condition as it is a result of a suppressed immune system.

For assistance in identifying and treating foul taste in your mouth, we advise seeing a dentist or other medical practitioner. 

They will assist in determining whether you have any major underlying conditions that may be the source of the foul taste.

Visiting a Doctor to Fix the Bad Taste in the Mouth 

For many reasons, determining the origin of this symptom is crucial. A bad taste in the mouth may indicate a drug dose issue or be an early warning sign of a health issue you are unaware of. 

Only diagnosis may help you determine the best course of action. That aside, it can help you avoid issues such as overindulging in sweet or salty foods in an attempt to mask off unpleasant flavours.

Making an appointment with a dentist or other medical expert without delay is a smart option to receive a diagnosis. 

Unusual taste can have numerous serious and non-serious causes, although some can. It makes sense to let the experts rule them out in order to feel at ease. 

A medical professional known as an otolaryngologist, or ear, nose, throat, head, and neck (ENT) specialist, may be necessary for treating taste abnormalities.

The diagnosis may include the following steps:

  • Checking your throat, nose, and ears

  • Dental evaluation

  • A tasting test 

  • An examination of your dental and medical history

How to Fix Bad Taste in Mouth: 10 Home Remedies

To get rid of the bad taste in your mouth, you can follow the home remedies given below:

1.Apple Cider Vinegar To Promote Oral Health 

The vinegar in apple cider is acidic. It supports dental health by helping restore your mouth's pH balance. 

Additionally, this treatment increases salivation, which eliminates the bad taste. 

Rinsing the mouth with a 2:1 mixture of water and apple cider vinegar helps get rid of the bad taste that bacteria are causing.

Drinking water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar can minimize the bad taste in the mouth as well.

2.Citrus Fruits To Wash Away Bacteria

Lemons include vitamin C, which helps your mouth's pH return to normal.

Additionally, lemon's antibacterial properties can keep oral infections at bay, averting more oral health issues. 

Oranges and lemons, among other citrus fruits, have the potential to mask and lessen the bad taste in the mouth. 

However, routine consumption of lemon juice may damage the enamel. So, use cold water to dilute lemon juice and rinse your mouth with tap water afterward.

3.Apply Turmeric Paste in Your Mouth 

Turmeric is great for treating swollen gums due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

Curcumin, a potent antibiotic found in turmeric, kills all harmful bacteria in the mouth, improves oral health, and gets rid of foul taste. 

Acid reflux and other gastrointestinal problems that leave a bad taste in the mouth can be treated with turmeric.

Half a teaspoon of turmeric powder should add a few drops of lemon juice.

Apply this viscous paste to the interior of your mouth and tongue.

Make sure to rinse your mouth with warm water. You can repeat this for around two weeks once daily to get the desired results.

4.Prepare Aloe Vera Juice

Aloe vera juice's antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties help treat oral infections, the bad taste in the mouth and the odour that goes along with them.

For approximately five minutes, swish one teaspoon of fresh aloe vera juice around in your mouth and spit out the juice. If that doesn't seem doable, you can also sip on half a cup of aloe vera juice once or twice a day.

5.Eliminate Plaque with Baking Soda 

Because baking soda is alkaline, it can balance the pH in your mouth. Its ability to exfoliate can fight plaque buildup on your teeth and tongue, which will lessen the bad taste in the mouth.

You need to make a paste by mixing it with a few drops of lemon juice and using it instead of your conventional toothpaste.

6.Dissolve Salt in Warm Water

Because of its inherent antiseptic qualities, salt can help stop the growth of harmful oral microorganisms. 

Frequent mouth washing with the salt solution can help get rid of the bad taste and odour in the mouth, which will lessen the unappetizing sensation.

7.Brush Your Teeth with Hydrogen Peroxide 

Hydrogen peroxide mouthwash for bad taste in the mouth is also effective.

Get a soft bristle brush and dip it into the hydrogen peroxide solution made with 3% hydrogen peroxide with two tablespoons of water.

Use this solution to gently brush the insides of your mouth and your tongue.

Strong antibacterial hydrogen peroxide fights off infectious oral infections that can make your mouth taste strange and repulsive. It gets rid of harmful germs to create a healthy dental environment.

8.Drink Fennel Seeds Tea

Fennel seeds have antibacterial qualities that may help keep the mouth healthy and infection-free. 

To get rid of the bad taste in the mouth, you can make fennel seeds tea and drink it on a daily basis.

The seeds' fragrant qualities freshen up your breath and give oral pain relief. 

They raise the pH of saliva and encourage its production.

9.Make Cinnamon Rinse

Cinnamon has antibacterial properties that fight the bad taste in the mouth. It kills the bacteria that may be a threat to your oral health.

You can use it either in the form of powder or essential oil. The best way is to use half a tablespoon of cinnamon powder and mix it with a glass of lukewarm water and the juice of half a lemon.

If you have cinnamon oil, you can put two drops of it as a replacement for the powder. You can use this rinse 2 to three times a day.

10.Start Drinking Green Tea 

People have many reasons to drink green tea, and the bad taste in the mouth can be one of those.

It is great for oral infections and for eliminating the bad taste in the mouth. To get maximum benefits, you can drink it twice or as many times as you want, as drinking 8 cups of it a day is considered safe.

What to Eat to Remove the Bad Taste in Mouth

People who constantly have a bad taste in their mouth must avoid foods that are spicy, sweet, or greasy. For the first couple of days, it's better to increase fluid intake and consume bland food.

Here are the foods you can consume if you have a bad taste in the mouth:

  • Fresh fruit juices, such as lemon or orange

  • Fish, eggs, beans, and peanut butter, and dairy items like ice cream and yogurt.

These edible items are most likely to stop the revolting taste from coming back into your mouth.

Prevention Measure for the Bad Taste in Mouth

  • Floss and brush twice every day

  • Rinse your mouth with mouthwash

  • Chew gum without sugar to promote salivation

  • Maintain your hydration by drinking adequate water

  • Restrict your use of coffee and alcohol

  • Give up tobacco use

  • Restrain from eating different kinds of candies.

Read More: 10 Surprising Foods That Can Damage Your Teeth

FAQs 

Is a bad taste in the mouth indicative of diabetes?

Indeed, a terrible taste in the mouth or a bitter-sweet flavour may indicate diabetes. 

Why does my mouth taste like rotten eggs?

Your tongue may taste like rotten eggs if you have an accumulation of toxic hydrogen sulphide gas in it or if you have a gut infection from your last meal.

What role does sulphur play in producing a bad taste in the mouth?

The residual material in your mouth can serve as food for oral bacteria, which can produce sulphur compounds with an unpleasant odour. You have to routinely brush, floss, and use mouthwash to get rid of these harmful substances.

Summary 

These are useful tips on how to get rid of the bad taste in the mouth. 

The food you eat has a big impact on your overall health and well-being. To get rid of the bad taste in the mouth, eating right is also important. 

Therefore, apart from implementing these tips into your daily routine, you should also examine your food choices.

If the bad taste in the mouth doesn't go away for a long period, visit KWC Dental for a quick checkup.

Muhammad Aslam