Where does the bitter taste come from?
An unpleasant taste may be present constantly or appear periodically. This symptom is associated with the release of bile into the esophagus. Patients often notice a bitter taste in the mouth in the morning, especially when eating fatty foods the day before and after sleeping on the left side.
Bile is a liver secretion that is involved in digestion. The fluid flows through the ducts into the gallbladder and from there into the duodenum. Normally, bile does not flow into the esophagus, and the person feels well.
After eating certain types of food, the liver may react by producing more secretions. The volume of bile in the intestines increases, and a small part enters the esophagus, causing a bitter taste in the mouth. The same reaction occurs when using certain medications or when exposed to other factors. In any case, an unpleasant taste is a reason to consult a doctor. Only by identifying the cause of bitterness in the mouth can a person’s well-being be improved.
Treatment for burning sensation in the mouth
First of all, you need to find out the cause of the burning sensation in the mouth. If the problem is related to diseases and conditions of the oral cavity and teeth, then in the dental clinic the patient is given one or more of the following measures:
- Professional teeth cleaning – removal of plaque, stone, sanitation of the oral cavity.
- Treatment of dental diseases - caries, pulpitis.
- Treatment of gum diseases – gingivitis, periodontitis.
- Assessment of the condition of dentures and their effect on the oral mucosa. If necessary, prosthetic structures are replaced.
In addition to the above procedures, therapeutic measures for burning in the mouth also include taking anti-inflammatory, antibacterial or antifungal (for candidiasis) drugs. If there is a lack of vitamins and minerals, a course is prescribed to replenish the missing biologically active substances. Some patients are prescribed physical therapy.
Possible causes of bitterness in the mouth
Diseases of the biliary tract
Bile transport in the body is disrupted in chronic cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, biliary dyskinesia, hepatitis, and cirrhosis. Spasm or blockage of the duct leads to stagnation of secretions.
Important!
Bitterness in the mouth after eating can occur even after removal of the gallbladder. The reason is that bile is constantly produced in the body, and if a person does not adhere to a diet after surgery, some of the liquid may be thrown into the esophagus. You won’t be able to get rid of the bitter taste without following a diet.
Digestive system diseases
Diseases of the liver, esophagus, stomach, and intestines are accompanied not only by constant bitterness in the mouth, but also by other characteristic symptoms:
- nausea, vomiting;
- severe heartburn;
- belching;
- constipation or diarrhea;
- pain in the epigastric region.
The symptom of bitterness in the mouth can accompany giardiasis, gastritis, duodenitis, peptic ulcer, etc.
Other pathologies
Various oral conditions can cause a bitter taste:
- diseases of the tongue and gums: gingivitis, stomatitis, glossitis;
- insufficient oral hygiene;
- incorrectly installed fillings and dentures.
A bitter taste in the mouth may appear when taking certain anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, anticonvulsant, hypnotics, and antibiotics. The same symptom is accompanied by poisoning with copper, mercury, lead, and the development of cancer pathologies. Severe bitterness in the mouth can be a reaction to taking herbal remedies: decoctions and infusions of herbs, nuts, sea buckthorn oil.
Causes of burning in the mouth
When a person consults a doctor with complaints of a burning sensation in the mouth, finding the cause of this condition is not always easy.
Medicine knows dozens of reasons for this condition, which often requires a thorough examination. Burning mouth syndrome is known to occur in both men and women. However, this problem worries women more often, especially during menopause and the postmenopausal period. The exact reasons for this are not yet fully understood, but most likely it is due to hormonal changes in women entering menopause.
Let's consider the typical causes of burning in the mouth - from oral diseases to systemic pathologies that also give such a symptom.
Oral diseases
If it bakes in the mouth, then among the pathologies the first thing to suspect is oral disease. Often a “fiery” tongue is noted with the following pathologies of the oral cavity:
- Fungal infection of the mouth . If you have a weakened immune system, there is a risk of contracting candidiasis. This disease is popularly called thrush, because of the characteristic white, cheesy coating on the tongue. In this case, the fungus also affects the inside of the cheeks, gums and palate. It is impossible not to notice the symptoms of candidiasis due to the abundance of whitish discharge on the tongue. Some types of thrush occur without a cheesy coating (for example, atrophic candidiasis), but burning mouth syndrome is present.
- Xerostomia . This is a lack of moisture in the oral cavity, in which plaque and cracks appear on the mucous membrane. In this case, xerostomia is accompanied by a burning sensation of the tongue, especially when eating sour foods.
- Glossitis . This is an inflammation of the tongue, in which a person partially or completely loses taste. Often with glossitis there is a burning sensation and pain in the mouth.
- Viral pathologies of the oral cavity . Often this is herpes, in which the mucous membrane becomes covered with characteristic blisters.
- Other oral diseases . A burning sensation also occurs with leukoplakia, aphthous stomatitis, lichen planus and other oral pathologies.
Dental diseases
Sometimes the feeling of a flame in the mouth is associated with a certain condition and dental diseases, namely:
- Tartar deposits . In this case, the root cause of the symptom is pathogenic bacteria in hard deposits, which provoke inflammatory reactions on the tongue and mucous membranes.
- Dentures . Inadequate care of dentures often causes a burning sensation in the mouth. This is due to the fact that in the absence of proper care, biofilms of bacteria or fungi form on dentures. Microorganisms then multiply in the oral cavity, contributing to the development of inflammation. In addition, a burning sensation can be caused by the prosthetic structure itself, which touches the mucous membranes, causing injury.
- Teeth grinding . Some people suffer from nighttime teeth grinding (bruxism). In this case, there is always a risk of touching the teeth and mucous membrane of the tongue.
Allergic reaction
Another common cause of burning in the mouth is allergies. For example, this is an allergic reaction to certain foods. Often, in addition to a burning sensation in the mouth, allergies also cause other symptoms - nasal congestion, rash, redness of the skin.
Sometimes allergies develop to dental products, for example, dentures, mouth guards, braces and others. This often happens when using low-quality materials that are highly allergenic.
There are several ways to understand that a burning sensation in the mouth is caused by an allergy. Avoid eating the food that causes symptoms. If you have recently had a denture or other structure installed in your mouth, then (if possible) remove it for a few days and monitor the condition.
Diseases of internal organs
A burning sensation in the mouth and tongue is sometimes caused by certain diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, endocrine, nervous and other systems. Such pathologies include:
- gastritis;
- stomach ulcer;
- duodenitis;
- colitis;
- diabetes;
- hormonal changes during menopause;
- stress and mental disorders;
- heart and vascular diseases;
- other diseases.
A burning sensation in the mouth or throat is sometimes associated with poor oral hygiene, taking certain medications, and a deficiency of certain vitamins. In particular, we are talking about a lack of folic acid, iron, vitamin C, iodine (problems with the thyroid gland arise in the background) and other biologically active substances and microelements.
What to do if you have a bitter taste in your mouth
The first thing you need to do is make an appointment with a gastroenterologist as soon as possible. The doctor will conduct a diagnosis and find out why bitterness and dry mouth occur and how to get rid of these sensations.
At the first consultation, the doctor interviews the patient. It is necessary to establish the period of maximum manifestation of symptoms. For example, increased bitterness in the mouth after eating may indicate overeating or disease of the bile ducts. If an alarming sign appears after taking medications, then most likely there is a violation of the intestinal microflora or a negative reaction of the liver. Bitterness in the mouth can occur in the morning or evening, after drinking alcohol, physical activity, and be accompanied by dry mucous membranes. All manifestations must be reported to your doctor.
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1. Insufficient hygiene and dental diseases
Food debris on teeth and gums provides food for oral bacteria. And the “waste” of such a diet becomes volatile compounds (ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and others), a large concentration of which is felt as an unpleasant odor.
In addition, such conditions contribute to the proliferation of pathogenic flora, which:
- firstly, it disrupts the pH of the oral cavity (due to bacterial waste products) and promotes demineralization of enamel and tooth tissue itself;
- and secondly, it increases the concentration of volatile substances in the oral cavity and contributes to the appearance of an unpleasant odor.
Thus, both improper hygiene and excess bacteria and signs of inflammation in gum disease, even with good hygiene, may be to blame for the appearance of a “problematic” odor.
In the first case, normal hygiene procedures twice a day, as well as rinsing after meals during the day, are sufficient to eliminate the problem. And in the second, the solution obviously requires the participation of a dentist.
Dry oral mucosa
This phenomenon often occurs while taking certain medications and is caused by insufficient saliva production.
In this case, the cleansing properties of saliva practically disappear, which contributes to the “accumulation” of food debris in the oral cavity and their “decomposition”, and also significantly “makes life easier” for bacteria.
Chronic diseases of the respiratory system
Chronic tonsillitis, pharyngitis, and sinusitis are a reliable source of excessive growth of bacteria in the oral cavity. Here we are most often talking about staphylococci and streptococci, which have pronounced pathogenic properties.
An unpleasant odor can also appear with purulent diseases of the bronchi and lungs, as well as with tumors at the stage of destruction. In this case, the smell from the mouth often becomes putrid in nature, and the cough is accompanied by copious sputum production.
Digestive system diseases
“Stomach” odors are often sour (with normal and high acidity) or “rotten” in nature (with low acidity), and appear under the following conditions:
- reflux of stomach contents back into the esophagus (reflux),
- narrowing of the gastric outlet (pyloric stenosis),
- the presence of ulcerative and oncological processes in the stomach or duodenum.
The smell can also be associated with liver damage, and then it has a characteristic “liver” tint.
Severe metabolic disorders
We are talking primarily about diabetes mellitus and its severe complication – ketoacidosis. The smell from the mouth in which case resembles “acetone”, and the condition itself can be fatal.
How to find the reason
1. You can confirm the “microbial” origin of bad breath by inoculating a swab from the throat and nose. The study will not only “show” the quantity and quality of microorganisms, but will also allow you to select an effective antibacterial drug, if necessary.
Culture is also relevant for sputum, if it is separated.
And also, in any case, an examination by a dentist and an ENT doctor is recommended.
2. It is quite difficult to check the condition of the stomach and duodenum using laboratory methods, therefore, if a “gastric” origin of the odor is suspected, a consultation with a gastroenterologist and FGDS is recommended.
3. The liver is one of the most multifunctional organs, so it is not surprising that many people experience its damage at a young age.
You can check the digestive function of the organ using a blood test for liver enzymes (ALT, AST), bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase and gamma-GT, both individually and in the format of the Liver Examination complex. Base".
4. A blood test for glucose levels and glycated hemoglobin (average level over the last 3 months) is “meant” to control the risk of diabetes.
Expert advice
When there is bitterness in the mouth, self-medication is the most dangerous. It is believed that the main cause of the symptom is liver disease. Patients begin to make compresses on their own and drink herbal decoctions. Instead of relief, complications occur. The patient is sent to the hospital with severe pain, intoxication, peritonitis, etc. These are the consequences of trying to make an independent diagnosis. It turns out that the cause of the bitterness in the mouth was gallstones. A person independently drinks choleretic decoctions, stimulates the migration of stones, which safely get stuck in the duct and cause an acute attack. Instead of having the crystals crushed under medical supervision, the patient goes straight to the operating table.
Dzhgarkava Tea Gochaevna
Therapist-cardiologist Experience 5 years
There are other, no less dangerous cases. To get rid of bitterness in your mouth, you need to go to the doctor and cure the detected diseases. This is the only right decision.
Useful video
From this video you will learn what to do if you have an unpleasant taste in your mouth:
If a hydrogen sulfide taste appears in your mouth, you need to determine the cause of this phenomenon as soon as possible . If there is a suspicion of the development of pathology, then only a qualified doctor can cope with it.
You should not resort to home remedies or self-medicate. Since with their help you can only eliminate the symptom, and not the disease itself. This can lead to negative consequences and complications.
