Causes of sweet taste in mouth
Poor nutrition
The most common causes of a sweetish taste in the mouth are chronic overeating, abuse of simple carbohydrates and fatty foods.
As a result, carbohydrates are intensively broken down into glucose, the penetration of which into saliva causes the sensation of sweetness. An obsessive unpleasant taste often bothers you in the evening. You can get rid of it by brushing your teeth or rinsing your mouth. A sweet taste is often found in people following a low-carbohydrate diet for a long time. The feeling of sweetness is caused by the intensive breakdown of fatty acids for the body's energy needs, which produces ketone bodies and other chemical compounds that have a sweetish taste. The symptom bothers the patient constantly. It is accompanied by general weakness, decreased muscle strength, and regular severe headaches.
To give up smoking
A common cause of a sweet taste in the mouth in men is disruption of the taste buds due to smoking cessation. Periodically, there is a cloying sweetish sensation in the mouth that is not associated with food. The symptom is most pronounced in the first months of getting rid of a bad habit, then the functioning of the taste apparatus returns to normal. The symptom is aggravated by constantly sucking lozenges, which is often done by smokers during the period of quitting cigarettes.
Stress
An increase in the concentration of first adrenaline and then corticosteroids in response to a psycho-emotional shock contributes to an increase in glucose levels in the blood and, consequently, in saliva. This is perceived by the patient as a feeling of sweetness in the mouth. Taste discomfort may be accompanied by thirst, dry mucous membranes, fear, anxiety, and muscle tremors.
The condition is more pronounced at night, decreases or temporarily stops after drinking large quantities of ordinary water and completely normalizes on its own after the end of the traumatic situation. Less commonly, stress glycogeusia persists for longer than 6-8 days and serves as one of the possible signs of developing depression or emerging neurosis.
Diabetes
Complaints about the periodic occurrence of a sweet taste without an obvious reason are a typical sign of impaired carbohydrate metabolism and incipient diabetes. Patients complain of severe dryness in the oral cavity, against the background of which an unpleasant sweetish taste sensation appears. Also characterized by a strong feeling of thirst, increased appetite and an increase in the amount of daily urine.
A feeling of sweetness in the mouth, accompanied by increasing malaise and headache, indicates the risk of developing ketoacidosis, a complication of diabetes mellitus in which the formation of toxic compounds occurs. At first, patients feel a sweet taste, then it changes to a bitter taste, and the smell of acetone is felt from the mouth. This condition is an indication for emergency medical care.
Pregnancy
During a normal pregnancy, women often experience atypical taste sensations that are not associated with food intake. The sweetish taste appears at any time of the day. It is often enhanced by the use of vitamin complexes and other supplements that doctors prescribe for pregnant women. With toxicosis, an unpleasant taste aggravates nausea and provokes vomiting.
In pregnant women, a sweet taste in the mouth can also be caused by pathological reasons; most often it is caused by the development of gestational diabetes. The symptom is determined in the second half of pregnancy. Unpleasant taste sensations persist throughout the day. Pregnant women also notice increased thirst and an excessive increase in appetite, while their body weight increases slightly.
Pancreatitis
Complaints of a sweetish taste in the morning or during long breaks between meals are characteristic of damage to the pancreas. The disorder bothers patients most when waking up; after breakfast, the unpleasant feeling disappears. Also with pancreatitis, periodic pain in the left hypochondrium, nausea and heaviness in the abdomen are observed. Sometimes vomiting occurs, after which the sickly sweet taste in the mouth intensifies.
Gastrointestinal diseases
The symptom is detected in hyperacid conditions (gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease), which are accompanied by periodic reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus and oral cavity. The sweetest taste is most pronounced after bending the body, intense physical activity, or prolonged stay in a horizontal position. The unpleasant feeling decreases after brushing your teeth, but does not disappear completely.
Purulent processes in the mouth
Gingivitis, stomatitis, deep caries with the addition of bacterial flora are accompanied by the formation of pus, which, accumulating in the spaces between the teeth and gum pockets, causes an irritating sweet taste in the mouth. The symptom is more pronounced in the morning. With insufficient oral hygiene, it is periodically observed throughout the day. In addition to the taste, patients are concerned about toothache that occurs spontaneously or occurs while eating.
ENT diseases
Chronic infectious processes in the paranasal sinuses or tonsils, caused by staphylococci, streptococci or Pseudomonas aeruginosa, provoke a sweetish taste. Patients with chronic tonsillitis and sinusitis note that taste discomfort does not have any visible cause and disappears after rinsing the mouth with water or eating food. The symptom often develops in the morning, when during night sleep the purulent contents of the nasal cavity drain into the pharynx.
Neurological disorders
In case of traumatic brain injury or brain damage due to intoxication, the nuclei of the cranial nerves responsible for the formation of taste sensations are involved in the pathological process. At the same time, patients lose the ability to distinguish the tastes of food and often feel a monotonous sweetish taste in the mouth for no reason. Taste disorder is combined with salivation disorders and swallowing disorders.
Rare causes
- Chemical poisoning
: pesticides, phosphorus-containing toxic substances (phosgene, etc.). - Oncopathology
: lung cancer, malignant bronchial neoplasia. - Complication of chemotherapy
.
Contacting a medical facility
If you decide that the sweet taste in your mouth is not a consequence of overeating or other eating disorders, you need to gather your strength and go to see a doctor.
- If you experience symptoms indicating the development of pathological processes within the gastrointestinal tract, you should visit a gastroenterologist - a specialist in this field.
- If you are obviously obese, you should visit a nutritionist. The fact is that excess weight can ultimately affect not only the taste sensations in the oral cavity, but can also lead to diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
- of cardio-vascular system;
- reproductive system;
- endocrine and the like.
We would like to draw your attention to the danger of purulent inflammation of the sinuses: their presence in the vicinity of the brain can lead to catastrophic consequences for health.
Diagnostics
To determine the etiological factor of the sweet taste in the mouth, a consultation with a gastroenterologist is required, who, after an initial examination, can refer the person to other specialists. First, the doctor collects an anamnesis and examines the oral cavity in detail for purulent processes, then prescribes specific tests and instrumental methods. From a diagnostic point of view, the most important are:
- Blood tests
. In a biochemical study, attention is paid to glucose levels; even with a slight increase in sugar, an oral stress test is performed. To determine the cause of a sweetish taste in women, the concentration of estrogen and progesterone is assessed, and the level of hCG is measured. A clinical blood test reveals leukocytosis and increased ESR. - Gastroscopy
. If the unpleasant taste is accompanied by heartburn and chest pain, an endoscopic examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract is informative. The method is necessary to identify inflammatory changes in the mucous membrane, disorders of the contractile function of the lower esophageal sphincter. During endoscopy, a biopsy of pathologically changed areas is performed. - Sonography
. During a targeted ultrasound of the pancreas, the heterogeneity of the structure, the presence of hypoechoic areas, and space-occupying formations are determined. With pancreatitis, swelling and blurred contours of the organ are detected. Women are shown an ultrasound of the pelvic organs; transvaginal ultrasound is used for detailed visualization. - Neurological examination
. If the sweet taste is combined with paresthesia and swallowing disorders, damage to the central nervous system structures must be excluded. A standard examination includes checking pharyngeal and pupillary reflexes and assessing muscle strength and tone. To visualize the brain, an MRI or CT scan with contrast is performed. An EEG is sometimes recommended.
How can prevention help?
As a preventive measure against the appearance of a sweet taste in the mouth, you should follow a few simple rules:
- lead a healthy lifestyle;
- take medications, in particular antibiotics, only after a doctor’s prescription;
- limit yourself from stress if possible;
- eat only high-quality products after careful heat treatment;
- chew food well, which will prevent overeating;
- follow all recommendations of the attending physician regarding nutrition;
- Perform oral hygiene procedures regularly.
In addition, you need to undergo examinations with an endocrinologist, dentist and gastroenterologist several times a year, and pregnant women should not miss visits to the obstetrician-gynecologist and report all changes in the body during the period of bearing the baby.
Treatment
Help before diagnosis
To reduce discomfort, first of all you need to change your diet: limit the amount of sweets, white bread, fatty foods as much as possible, increase the content of protein foods, fresh vegetables and fruits. It is important to maintain an adequate drinking regime. To get rid of the obsessive aftertaste, you can eat citrus fruits and drink water with lemon juice.
Doctors recommend maintaining oral hygiene: brush your teeth thoroughly 2 times a day, and use dental floss or a toothpick after eating. To effectively clean the interdental spaces, use a mouthwash or irrigator. A sweet taste that occurs against the background of abdominal pain, heartburn, nausea or vomiting is an indication to consult a specialist.
Conservative therapy
Treatment tactics depend on the cause of the cloying-sweet sensation. Drug therapy is combined with local effects - rinsing the mouth with antiseptic solutions or herbal decoctions, medicinal pastes on the area of the dental canals. The treatment regimen for diseases accompanied by a sweet taste in the mouth often includes:
- Insulin
. Hormone replacement therapy is indicated to normalize glucose concentrations in type 1 diabetes. An intensified treatment regimen with a combination of short- and long-acting insulins is selected. For type 2 diabetes mellitus, oral hypoglycemic drugs are taken. - Enzymes
. Enzyme agents are effective for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. They improve digestive function and promote the breakdown of fats and carbohydrates. The drugs are prescribed in long courses; preference is given to drugs containing bile acids. - Antisecretory agents
. Medicines reduce the production of hydrochloric acid, thus eliminating the causes of the formation of a sweetish taste. The most commonly used are proton pump inhibitors, which have minimal side effects and a prolonged effect. - Antibiotics
. Purulent lesions of the oral cavity are treated with antibacterial drugs, which are used both systemically in the form of tablets and locally in the form of ointments and applications to the mucous membrane. To prevent candida infection, antifungal agents are recommended.
Precautionary measures
Any process in a person’s life must be approached thoughtfully, especially when it comes to restoring a satisfactory state of health. In this section we have compiled for you a list of treatment-related recommendations.
Don't try to treat yourself. This is the golden rule for all inhabitants of our planet who do not have a medical education. Remember: only a doctor can really help eliminate the problem. By arranging unauthorized tests on your own body, you risk not only not getting the desired effect, but also:
- aggravate the condition;
- lose precious time.
The side effects of some drugs that seem to have been known to you for a long time can give unexpected and very unpleasant consequences in combination with various pathologies. Take care of yourself and go to the doctor if the sweet taste in your mouth bothers you too often.
Do not use traditional medicine. It is especially not recommended to do this for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. For example, with inflammation of the pancreas, any harmless drug can become a factor that triggers an irreversible necrotic process.
The recipes presented on the Internet were actually tried by people on themselves, perhaps they even helped some of the authors, however, do not forget that all situations are individual. What helped another person, even someone with a similar illness, may not have the desired effect on you.
You can use folk remedies if they are recommended by your doctor. So, often to eliminate nervous disorders, as an additional help, doctors prescribe herbal remedies that calm the patient’s mental state and help him fall asleep.
Do not take too many medications at once unless your doctor has directed you to do so. The fact is that constant use of several medications can lead to the development of various kinds of negative consequences. However, if the use of tablets, suspensions or capsules is carried out at the insistence of the doctor, the negative effects will probably also be foreseen, and subsequently easily stopped.
What does it mean
The appearance of a persistent sensation of sweetness during a period when a person has not eaten anything with that taste should be alarming.
Such a feeling should be perceived as a signal of trouble.
The appearance of a taste signals the possible onset of the development of diseases such as:
- gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD);
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, which causes disturbances in the functioning of the taste organs;
- poisoning;
- liver diseases (hepatitis, cirrhosis);
- pancreatic diseases;
- a state of severe stress, causing spasms in the digestive system;
- inflammation of the trigeminal and facial nerves;
- diabetes;
- pathologies leading to metabolic disorders;
- inflammatory processes in the oral cavity.
These are the main, but not all, sources of this taste.
A sweetish taste can also haunt a person during the period of recovery after a serious illness accompanied by severe intoxication.
Impaired taste perception can appear when quitting smoking, when the body is rebuilt, getting rid of toxins. A pregnant woman suffering from toxicosis can feel an unpleasant sensation of different taste combinations.
The only pleasant and non-alarming symptom is the taste resulting from excessive consumption of foods containing sugar. Such overeating harms the body, but is not yet a sign of pathology.
The taste of sweets during coronavirus
A sweet taste in the mouth during coronavirus is quite common and quite normal. There are several reasons for this.
The taste of sweetness appears as a reaction of the body to intoxication and the presence of pathogenic bodies. The taste may be especially pronounced in case of damage to the respiratory tract, characterized by cough and fever. Coronavirus can also affect the digestive organs, which can also give a sweet sensation in the mouth. If you take antibiotics for illness, this can also cause a sweetish taste.
A taste of sweets in the absence of other symptoms cannot be a sign of coronavirus; most likely you have other complications in the body, which can be found below.
If you have a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, and you experience sweet and salty tastes, this increases the risk of further complications that can affect the lower respiratory tract, that is, the lungs. In patients with a lack of taste and sense of aromas, the risk of hospitalization is significantly lower or absent altogether. This is due to the fact that the virus has concentrated on safer places in the body.
If there is no taste or smell, do not worry or worry too much, this symptom goes away much longer than with ARVI and flu - and can last up to 3 weeks, even in the absence of other symptoms. Taste and smell will be restored!
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Which doctors should I contact?
If there is no suspicion of any specific disease, you should visit a therapist who will prescribe general tests (blood, urine). Based on their results, possible diseases will be identified and approximate diagnoses will be made, which will be further confirmed by a highly specialized specialist. Having studied laboratory studies associated with various aftertastes (mainly bitter and metallic), we can conclude that most diseases are associated with the digestive tract. To check the digestive organs, you should contact a gastroenterologist who can prescribe an ultrasound of the abdominal organs. If anemia is suspected, the patient will have to visit a hematologist.
For those suffering from a sugary aftertaste, the first thing to do is see a dentist (problems with gums are solved by a periodontist) and have them sanitized, after which the discomfort goes away. At the same time, a visit to the dentist should be combined with a visit to the otolaryngologist, who will assess the condition of the throat.
It is useful to get tested for sugar, including for people who suffer from dry mouth, thirst and nausea, in order to exclude the presence of diabetes mellitus.
