Taste of salt in the mouth. Causes in women, men, what causes it, treatment

Does the salty taste in your mouth and on your lips or tongue have anything to do with what you recently ate? So it’s time to read the article prepared by the editors of the UltraSmile.ru portal. Keep in mind that the problem can be caused by very unpleasant and even dangerous processes occurring in the body. Details below.

A salty taste in the mouth can be caused by many factors.

Reason #1: poor oral hygiene

If you don't clean your teeth and gums well enough or completely ignore your daily care routine, plaque will begin to accumulate on your teeth. Initially, it is soft in consistency, but under the influence of salts from saliva it mineralizes and hardens. Such plaque is an excellent “base” for the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria; it cannot be cleaned without the help of a dentist and professional hygiene procedures. Bacterial waste products and mineralized, hardened plaque contribute to the sensation of a salty taste on the lips and in the mouth.

The development of bacteria on teeth can cause saltiness

Prevention of discomfort

In order to prevent the occurrence of a salty taste, you should:

• Visit the dentist at least once every six months.
• Maintain a drinking regime to maintain water-salt balance.
• Adhere to a healthy diet, give preference to environmentally friendly products.
• Maintain normal stress tolerance.
• Take good care of your teeth and oral cavity.
• Undergo medical examinations in a timely manner to identify diseases that cause a salty taste in the mouth.

Reason #2: bleeding gums

There is a taste of salt and you don’t know what could be causing it? The cause of this phenomenon could be bleeding gums. It could arise against the background of trauma to the mucous membrane or as a result of the development of gingivitis or periodontitis.

Blood is close in its ionic composition to sea water. It contains sodium and chloride ions, due to which people with a similar pathology experience a salty taste.

Your mouth may also feel salty due to the fact that you recently had a tooth removed. After all, after this procedure, a wound has formed, which first bleeds, and then ichor is released from it for a long time. Damaged tissues need time to heal, after which the unpleasant symptom will no longer bother you.

Inflammation and bleeding of the gums causes this problem.

Reason No. 3: abuse of salty foods

Why are your lips salty and your mouth taste like salt? The most common reason is that you ate salty food. Remember that salt in large quantities is harmful to the body, it negatively affects the cardiovascular system, kidneys and liver, stomach, retains fluid in the tissues, and at the same time contributes to poor absorption of calcium, which is so beneficial for our teeth and bones. Salt accelerates the aging of the body and impairs the functioning of blood vessels.

As an alternative to this product, scientists advise adding healthy and safe natural substitutes to your food - celery, herbs and seasonings, garlic, dried seaweed. To preserve the salts found in natural foods, it is recommended to steam them rather than fry or boil them.

Excessive salt intake can leave a taste on the lips and tongue

A scientist from Maine actually proposed an alternative way to salt food - special cutlery that, touching the tongue, produces impulses. Thanks to this, a person has the feeling that he has eaten rich food. Scientists at the University of Tokyo have also developed a three-mode electric plug that can imitate the taste of salt. Such a fork was tested in one of the restaurants in Tokyo, where visitors were offered to eat completely lean cutlets with its help. After using such devices, the same taste of salt appears in the mouth and on the lips.

Causes not related to diseases

The taste of salt in the mouth may be due to the following factors:

• Dehydration. When drinking less than two liters of liquid per day, the water-salt balance in the body is disrupted. The composition of saliva changes significantly, causing dryness and a salty taste in the mouth (less often, a sweet or sour taste appears). Dehydration occurs during vomiting, diarrhea, and the use of extreme methods for losing weight.
• Exposure to medications and anesthesia used before and after tooth extraction changes the acidic environment around the gums, which can cause a salty taste in the mouth.
• Insufficient oral care. The appearance of a tasteless salt sensation is a possible sign of the proliferation of harmful microorganisms. Bacteria attack tooth enamel, contribute to the development of caries, and the appearance of tartar. As bacteria multiply, they infect the salivary glands, which means they change the taste of saliva from neutral to salty.
• Salty tears that enter the nasopharynx and leave a corresponding aftertaste. Excessive lacrimation can be associated both with a person’s emotional state and with a reaction to dust, bright snow, gusts of wind, sun or allergies.

Common side effects of some medications include a salty taste and dry lips. After taking medications with a diuretic effect, dehydration may occur, which also explains the appearance of salty saliva.

Reason #4: Dehydration

If you have a salty taste in your mouth, then it’s time to calculate how much clean water you drink per day. Because it is the imbalance of fluid in the body that often becomes the answer to the question of why the salty taste bothers us. Our saliva contains sodium chloride, in other words, it is ordinary salt. When fluid is lost in the body, blood and saliva thicken, causing dry mouth. Saliva undergoes a process of dehydration, causing it to contain more salt and less liquid and other useful minerals. The more severe the dehydration, the more clearly the unpleasant symptom appears.

The cause of dehydration could be a low-carbohydrate diet, taking diuretics, poisoning and indigestion, drinking alcoholic beverages, drinking too much strong coffee or soda, or smoking a large number of cigarettes. Dehydration can develop during intense physical activity, after spending a long time in the scorching sun or in hot, stuffy rooms.

An imbalance of fluid in the body often causes a bothersome salty taste.

When dehydrated, the taste of salt may be accompanied by other alarming symptoms: weakness, dizziness, thirst, rare urination, diarrhea. The first thing to do in such a condition is to drink as much liquid as possible, in particular clean water. It’s better to generally make it a rule to drink at least one and a half or two liters of water a day every day. This is approximately 8 glasses. However, in cases where the body suffers from dehydration, this figure can be safely increased. For example, lovers of strong coffee drinks who drink up to 5 mugs of coffee a day should regulate the balance of healthy fluids in the body by taking 2-3 glasses of clean water more than those who are not fond of coffee.

Reason #5: taking certain medications

The feeling of salt in the mouth and lips appears when using hormonal drugs, antihistamines, antidepressants and diuretics. The problem is often typical for people who are being treated for cancer with chemotherapy. If the constant taste of salt is associated specifically with taking certain medications, then when they are discontinued, it will disappear without a trace. If the pills need to be taken on an ongoing basis, then why not visit your doctor so that he can select a different drug? This way you can get rid of the problem.

Other symptoms

Often salty lips appear more than once. A salty taste on the lips and in the mouth can be accompanied by a huge variety of other symptoms that may indicate certain diseases. Among them:

• dry mouth,
• white spots on the tongue
• bleeding gums,
• stomach ache,
• bad breath.

However, you should not diagnose yourself: without the help of a doctor it is almost impossible to do it adequately.

Oral diseases

For your information! In case of diseases of the oral cavity, the taste of salt in the mouth is accompanied by:

• bleeding from the gums,
• loosening of teeth,
• pus in the teeth,
• bad breath,
• open ulcers on the gums,
• pain in the gums.

All these symptoms relate to gingivitis and periodontitis.

Gastrointestinal diseases

Pain in the intestines accompanies salinity on the lips in case of inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.
GERD is accompanied by:

• sour, bitter or salty taste in the mouth,
• the appearance of belching,
• heartburn,
• fullness and burning in the upper abdomen,
• tachycardia,
• cough and asthma attacks (sometimes)

As with rhinitis and infections, GERD is accompanied by mucus flowing down the back of the throat.

Know! In addition to the salty taste in the mouth, infections bring with them a runny nose. In case of rhinitis, the nose is constantly stuffy. There is often a desire to clear your throat.

With thrush, white spots appear on the oral mucosa . The taste in the mouth in this case may not be salty, but bitter or metallic.

Dehydration

If the body is dehydrated, its symptoms are:

• constant thirst,
• unusual taste of saliva and its thickness,
• dry hands,
• peeling of the skin in the little finger area,
• dark yellow or brown urine color,
• rare urination,
• fatigue,
• dizziness.

Anemia

Keep in mind! Anemia can be recognized by:

• Pale skin (sometimes with a yellowish tint),
• weaknesses,
• tinnitus,
• flickering “flies” before the eyes,
• frequent fatigue,
• shortness of breath,
• rapid heartbeat,
• tingling in the limbs.

Bacterial and viral diseases of the salivary glands are accompanied by swelling of the glands and their inflammation.

In severe cases, when the excretory canals of the glands are blocked by stones formed in the oral cavity, pain may begin in the form of tingling in the mouth.

Sjögren's syndrome

Please note! Sjögren's syndrome occurs:

• dryness of the mucous membranes of the mouth and eyes,
• stomatitis,
• mumps (mumps),
• caries,
• problems with swallowing food.

Problems with the salivary glands cannot be ignored, as they have many dangerous complications and consequences.

Other diseases

Ophthalmological diseases and diseases of the endocrine system do not reveal themselves as anything other than salty lips and dry mouth.

With a brain tumor, the saltiness on the lips is complemented by headaches and vomiting.

Note ! Trauma to the head or neck can lead to changes in taste.

Multiple sclerosis gives out:

• tremor of the limbs,
• lack of coordination.

In general, pathologies of the brain and nerves make themselves felt by many other symptoms , such as:

• lack of coordination
• convulsions,
• hallucinations,
• difficulties in speech recognition,
• hearing impairment,
• change in intelligence and emotions.

Reason #6: ENT diseases

The salty taste sometimes has rather trivial causes: for example, bacterial sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis or a cold. During inflammation, mucus appears in the sinuses, which consists of mucin protein, salt, nucleic acids and water. In the acute course of the disease, snot flows down the walls of the nasopharynx into the throat, and accordingly, a feeling of salt occurs. With sluggish inflammation of the ENT organs, mucus is also constantly disturbing by its appearance in the mouth.

ENT diseases also contribute to the appearance of a salty taste

Reason #7: dysfunction of the salivary glands

A specific taste of salt appears in the mouth as a result of the development of various diseases that damage the functionality of the salivary glands:

• Sjögren's syndrome: is an autoimmune systemic disorder of connective tissue. The disease mainly affects the lacrimal and salivary glands. The pathology can develop against the background of rheumatoid arthritis or lupus erythematosus,
• xerostomia: a condition characterized by dry mouth, which explains the presence of a salty taste in the mouth. This pathology can develop in those who take antihistamines or antidepressants, suffer from hypertension and diabetes. The disease also occurs in people who have undergone radiation therapy in the head and neck area. However, according to some studies, xerostomia most often occurs in older people. Between 10 and 60% of older people worldwide suffer from dry mouth. Moreover, the disease most often affects women1.

The culprit may be salivary stone disease, which is caused by blockage of the salivary glands. You can read about it in more detail in a separate article on the website, specially prepared by journalists from the portal’s editorial office.

Dry mouth causes a specific taste

The salty taste that occurs against the background of xerostomia is not dangerous in itself. But the diseases that caused it are dangerous, as well as the unpleasant consequences of dry mucous membranes. The fact is that saliva is a protector of the oral cavity from bacterial attack. Saliva also washes away food particles and helps us soften food. But if there is not enough of it, then difficulties with swallowing food and stomach problems inevitably arise, as well as dental problems. A person with xerostomia has a high risk of rapid development of oral dysbiosis, caries, pulpitis, periodontitis, gingivitis, and stomatitis. Also, when the mucous membrane is dry, a persistent bad breath occurs.

Causes and factors for the occurrence of salty symptoms

A variety of external and internal factors can cause a salty taste.

Neglect of oral hygiene

A banal lack or insufficiently thorough oral hygiene. The fact is that bacteria in the oral cavity actively accumulate and develop throughout the day. They must be regularly eliminated with a toothbrush and toothpaste. However, those who ignore this procedure or are lazy to perform it at least twice a day risk “accumulating” a whole arsenal of pathogenic bacteria in their mouth, and the sticky film that forms on the teeth every day turns into dense plaque and tartar. A characteristic feature of the accumulation of bacteria in the form of a film is a salty taste in the mouth in the morning. Thus, by regularly performing a primitive procedure - brushing your teeth - you can easily protect yourself from plaque and related problems.

Plaque on teeth is nothing more than a bacterial colony consisting of glycoproteins, living and dead microorganisms, and their metabolic products - all together this feels like a sticky film on the tooth surface.

An important point is to maintain oral hygiene after every meal. Dental floss, which removes food debris from the spaces between the teeth, and a special mouth rinse will help with this - it fights bacteria for several hours after use. It must be remembered that the tongue is also a reservoir of microbes and a suitable surface for the formation of pathogenic biofilm (many harmful microorganisms). Therefore, when brushing your teeth, you should not forget about the hygiene of the tongue, especially its root.

This reason lies on the surface, but there are also hidden, at first glance, reasons for the appearance of a salty taste.

Paranasal sinus infections

A chronic inflammatory process in the nasal sinuses is accompanied by swelling and the secretion of salty mucus. It flows down the back wall of the throat and provokes discomfort and the desire to cough up. An allergic process may also be an indirect cause.

Disorders of the salivary glands

Humans have three pairs of large salivary glands, which are located near the ear, under the jaw and under the tongue. In addition, there is a whole system of small glands in the mucous membrane. Why does a person need constant production of saliva? This transparent secret is nothing more than a liquid biological medium that has many functions necessary for the body, including having a disinfecting effect, destroying pathogenic bacteria and washing away food debris from the interdental crevices. The functioning of the salivary glands can be disrupted by diseases such as mumps, blockage of the salivary ducts with a stone, benign and malignant tumors, Sjogren's syndrome - an autoimmune disease involving the salivary glands. Often the first symptom of complications of these diseases is a salty taste in the mouth.

Inflammation of the postauricular salivary glands (sialoadenitis) is externally expressed by local swelling, and mucus, pus and condensed epithelial cells are detected in saliva

Infectious sialadenitis (inflammation of one or more salivary glands at the same time) causes dry mouth, as well as distorted perception of tastes. When massaging the affected gland, purulent fluid may be released. The admixture of purulent exudate also gives off a salty taste.

Infectious stomatitis

The cause of a salty taste in the mouth may be stomatitis. Moreover, the nature of inflammation of the oral mucosa can be different: bacterial, viral, fungal. Symptoms of the disease: fever, disturbances in salivation, rash in the mouth, at the same time, the condition can be complicated by distortions of receptor sensations, including an obsessive salty taste.

Dehydration

Hidden dehydration of the body can manifest itself as a sour-salty sensation in the mouth. This condition is typical for people who drink caffeine-containing drinks in large quantities. Coffee, strong tea, so-called energy drinks and even sweet soda are diuretics, that is, they provoke increased urination due to the fact that they contain caffeine and theophylline. Fans of these drinks are advised to try to at least partially replace them with ordinary drinking or mineral water.

Blocked tear ducts

Inflammation of the tear duct is dangerous due to stagnation of fluid, which is a fertile ground for fungi, viruses and bacteria

Inflammatory narrowing or blockage is possible due to eye infections, mechanical trauma to the face or tumor. The disease is expressed in excessive tear production and, at the same time, disruption of natural outflow. The lacrimal ducts carry fluid into the nose, from where it enters the throat and the patient feels the taste of tears in his mouth.

Medications

Some medications, when taken for a long time, cause distortion of the functions of taste buds. Antibiotics often have this effect. You should inform your doctor about an unpleasant side effect, and he will decide whether to replace the drug, or whether you can continue the treatment course without harm to your health.

This symptom appears as a side effect after undergoing radiation therapy or during a course of taking anti-cancer drugs. In this case, it will be possible to get rid of the strange taste only after a certain time after treatment.

Brain disorders

How does a person distinguish between salty, sweet, sour and bitter tastes? By influencing various substances on taste receptors (they are located on the tongue, soft palate and the back wall of the pharynx). Information from the receptors is transmitted along nerve fibers, and the taste sensations themselves are formed in the corresponding part of the cerebral cortex.

Scientists have established the presence of special neurons in the brain that decipher signals emanating from taste buds on the tongue. Exactly how the brain processes the information it receives is not precisely understood, but what is clear is that decisions about taste are made in the brain, not in the mouth.

It is extremely rare, but there are cases when the correct functioning of the brain area responsible for taste is suppressed by the action of pathological internal factors. The culprits may be diseases such as epilepsy, tumors of various types. And although this pathology is the least likely in the case of a salty taste, it cannot be completely excluded.

These are the main reasons for the appearance of an extraneous salty taste in the mouth. Perhaps the most common culprit of salty saliva—and the most obvious—is foods that contain excessive amounts of sodium chloride:

• marinades and canned food;
• snacks and beer snacks;
• smoked products (meat, cheeses);
• seafood, etc.

It is logical that after you have eaten a large amount of salty food, its taste will be felt in your mouth for some time, causing thirst every now and then. Normally, this is a temporary phenomenon that lasts a maximum of several hours and is eliminated by increased fluid intake.

Why does the problem occur in women?

Taste of salt in my mouth. What does it mean? Most often, the phenomenon occurs in women, for example, before menstruation or during pregnancy. Saltiness in the mouth may be due to dehydration as a result of toxicosis. Another reason is dysgeusia. This is a disease in which taste disturbance occurs. During pregnancy, under the influence of hormones, such a condition occurs often and is temporary - after delivery everything goes away without a trace.

Pregnancy often causes toxicosis

The fair half of humanity may have salt on their lips and mouth due to frequent mood swings and emotionality. The reason for its appearance is tears. However, tears can become a frequent companion not only for women, but also for everyone else if there are more serious health problems: allergies, eye diseases, photophobia.

In older women, the taste of salt on the lips and mouth occurs due to menopause. The phenomenon is often accompanied by dry mucous membranes, the inability to swallow hard or large pieces of food, itching and burning.

Diet

Complex therapy, which is selected when a taste of salt appears in a woman’s mouth, involves following a certain diet. It is necessary to remove foods that aggravate the symptom from the diet and drink more clean liquids.

The taste of salt in the mouth (careful diagnosis will help determine the causes in women) requires not only complex therapy and proper nutrition. It is important for women and men to additionally adhere to the simple recommendations of a specialized doctor.

All dishes must be baked, boiled, stewed, or steamed. Eat often, but in small portions. Drink enough clean water. It is necessary to reduce the consumption of table salt. If you have chronic diseases, it is better to prepare a diet menu with a nutritionist.

Why does the problem occur in men?

There is a salty taste in my mouth. What is it and why does it occur in men? This phenomenon often occurs in athletes or people engaged in exhausting physical labor. During physical overload or training, blood pressure rises and blood flows stronger. And as we have already found out, the blood contains sodium, chloride and iron ions. This explains why, after physical labor or active sports, a person has salty lips and a feeling of salt in the mouth.

Don't abuse alcohol

In the morning after a stormy party or get-togethers with friends, you wonder why there is a taste of salt in your mouth? The reason may lie in alcohol abuse. Don't forget that alcoholic drinks have a strong dehydrating effect. An excess of alcohol in the blood causes intoxication and dehydration of the body. To restore the balance of fluids and beneficial minerals in the body, be sure to drink plenty of distilled water and mineral water in the following days.

Dehydration

The most common cause of this phenomenon is dehydration. People who consume too little fluid harm their bodies. Due to lack of water, the composition of saliva changes at the chemical level. As a result, a person may experience a salty taste in the mouth.

The reasons for this phenomenon lie in the fact that the minerals present in the body begin to be excreted and cause noticeable discomfort in the form of taste sensations.

By the way, dehydration is especially common among those representatives of the fairer sex who regularly drink weight loss tea with a diuretic effect.

What can you say about children?

If a child feels the taste of salt in his mouth and lips, then the reasons can be completely different. This may be due to poor oral hygiene, dehydration, or internal diseases of the body. Here, to identify the problem, you need to observe the baby. If the phenomenon is permanent, then it is necessary to contact a pediatrician and show the child to a dentist. Doctors will examine the little patient, conduct a series of studies, and issue a referral for tests. If you have a constant taste of salt in your mouth, adults should also be examined by a therapist and dentist.

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prevention

1. I.M. Makeeva, V.Yu. Doroshina, M.G. Arakelyan. Xerostomia and remedies that alleviate its manifestations. Dentistry. 2013;92(5): 12-13

Consulting specialist

Litvinenko Olga Viktorovna

Doctor rating: 10 out of 10 (2) Specialization: Dentist-therapist, orthopedist Experience: 21 years

Which doctor should I see and what tests will I take?

It is quite natural that any health-related problem leads a person to the therapist’s office. It is this doctor who performs the initial examination, describes the medical history and writes out directions for tests:

• detailed blood test,
• blood chemistry,
• general urine analysis,
• cytological examination of mucous discharge from the sinuses,
• radiography of the nasal septum,
• Ultrasound of the sinuses,
• Computed tomography, MRI.

The test results will allow you to accurately determine which specialist the patient should be referred to.

Depending on which system or organ the problem is found in, the attending physician is determined. This could be: an endocrinologist, an otolaryngologist, a gastroenterologist, a dentist, a neurologist.

Comments

Which doctor should you visit first if you constantly have a salty taste in your mouth?

Agata (05/16/2019 at 07:44 pm) Reply to comment

Dear Agatha! First you need to visit a dentist and an ENT doctor. You need to take a biochemical blood test and take pictures of the paranasal sinuses. If these doctors have not identified any problems, then be sure to go to a therapist, who will prescribe tests for other diseases.

Editorial staff of the portal UltraSmile.ru (05/20/2019 at 09:18) Reply to comment

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Causes of salt taste in the mouth caused by diseases

The most common causes of salt taste in the mouth are:

• Oncological diseases. The cause of a salty taste in the mouth and on the lips is often radiation therapy in tandem with chemicals used in the treatment of tumors.
• An infection that has entered the nasopharynx. Due to the accumulation of mucus in the nasal sinuses, less saliva is released, as a result, the oral mucosa constantly dries out, and the perception of taste changes.
• Salivary stone disease is dangerous due to the difficulty of diagnosis. Stones form in the saliva ducts, giving the saliva a bitter-salty taste and causing pain during swallowing. With the disease, the process of salivation is disrupted.
• Pathologies of the nervous system. A change in taste sensations in the oral cavity is a sign of a failure in the transmission of signals from nerve endings to the brain. Brain activity disorders associated with epilepsy, stroke, hypertension, atherosclerosis, ischemia, although rare, are manifested by altered taste perception, and therefore an increase in the salt balance in the oral cavity.
• Allergies accompanied by incessant coughing and sneezing with salty sputum.
• Inflammation of the glands responsible for the secretion of saliva: infections of bacterial origin (strepto-pneumo-staphylococci), sialadenitis, Sjogren's syndrome. Inflammatory processes affect the quality and quantity of saliva constantly secreted by the glands.

• Diseases of the nasopharynx. Sinusitis, which develops as a result of advanced colds, affects the mucous membrane of the sinuses. The secretory fluid, flowing from the nasal reservoirs, flows down the wall of the throat, which is why an unpleasant salty taste appears and patients cease to smell. Sinusitis - inflammation of the maxillary sinuses - is accompanied by a salty taste on the tongue and lips for the same reasons.
• Diseases accompanied by a debilitating cough. The mucus produced when coughing has a salty taste.
• Pancreatitis, a disorder of the functionality of the pancreas and gastrointestinal tract. As a result of improper functioning of the pancreas, the amount and composition of gastric juice changes, which is why saltiness appears on the tongue and lips.