A taste of metal in the mouth is a common symptom that should be evaluated by your doctor.
A metallic taste in the mouth may seem like you are sucking on a penny. Metallic taste is one of several abnormal taste sensations that doctors call dysgeusia, from the Greek words for bad and taste. A bad taste is not usually a serious problem, but it can be a warning sign, depending on the cause.
Close to one out of five people in the United States will experience a bad state in the mouth. Common complaints include foods that taste metallic, foods that taste bad or rotten, and a bad taste before or after eating. The most common causes are not serious, and they can be diagnosed and treated without much difficulty. These causes include:
If one or more of these is the cause of a bad taste in your mouth, the solution may be as simple as treating the cause. Medications that can cause a bad taste include allergy medications, antibiotics, antidepressants, blood pressure meds, and chemotherapy drugs.
There are some medical conditions that cause metallic taste or other bad tastes. Some common examples include:
Dry mouth may also cause a metallic taste in your mouth. A dry mouth and metallic taste or bad or taste in the mouth are common symptoms of sicca syndrome and xerostomia. Xerostomia is the medical term for a persistently dry mouth. Xerostomia may be experienced by about 21 percent of men and 27 percent of women. The most common cause is a medication side effect. Medications that cause xerostomia include antihistamines, Parkinson’s disease drugs, diuretics, blood pressure meds, anti-anxiety drugs, muscle relaxants, opioid, and NSAID pain relievers.
The second most common cause of xerostomia is sicca syndrome, also known as Sjogren syndrome. This condition is an autoimmune disease, which means your immune system attacks normal tissues and causes inflammation. In Sjogren’s syndrome, the tissues are the glands that produce tears and saliva, so the symptoms are dry mouth and dry eyes. This syndrome is more common in women and usually starts after age 45.
If you have a dry mouth, metallic taste, or other bad tase in your mouth that won’t go away, talk to your doctor. A combination of a good history and physical exam, along with blood, taste, and imaging tests, if needed, will usually lead to a diagnosis and treatment plan. There are also some simple tips you can try on your own along with your doctor’s care:
