What Does It Mean When Everything Tastes Salty?
Published November 15, 2021
Do you have a persistent salty taste in your mouth? Does everything taste salty no matter the food you eat?
While having a salty or metallic taste in your mouth is quite common, sometimes it can be a symptom of an underlying issue. This is especially true if the salty taste persists even after you’ve brushed your teeth or gargled mouthwash.
Worry not. A persistent and sudden salty taste in the mouth is relatively easy to treat.
In this post, we’ll give you a list of the things you can do if you feel like everything tastes salty. But first, you need to understand what’s causing this sudden changes in your taste buds to determine what treatment will work best.
Common Reasons Why Everything Tastes Salty
A metallic or salty taste in the mouth is usually not a cause for concern. There are a lot of reasons why it happens. It can be because of the food you’ve eaten, or you drank something that has a salty aftertaste. Sometimes, it can also be psychological.
But if that odd salty taste in your mouth persists, it can be a sign of something much more serious. Some of the most common reasons why everything tastes salty are:
1. Dehydration
When your body has less liquid than required, it can cause an imbalance of water and salt in the body. This causes your saliva to be filled with salty minerals causing that metallic taste.
If you notice, the metallic taste in your mouth usually appears after running a mile or doing a particularly strenuous activity. You may also notice that odd salty taste after a bout of vomiting and diarrhea. These happen because, when you vomit or sweat a lot, your body is expelling more liquid than it is taking in, causing dehydration.
Some of the most common signs that you are dehydrated includes:
- extreme thirst
- fatigue
- dark urine
- confusion
- dizziness
- less frequent urination
If not treated, dehydration can lead to more serious medical conditions and may even prove fatal.
2. Oral Health Issues
Common oral health issues like oral bleeding, oral infection, mouth sores, and gingivitis can affect your sense of taste too.
Oral infections like periodontitis and oral thrush can cause oral bleeding and gum abscesses. Since blood is rich in iron, it leaves a metallic taste in your mouth, making everything taste salty. In severe cases, it may even damage your bones and teeth permanently.
3. Post-nasal Drip
Another common cause of a persistent salty taste in the mouth is post-nasal drip. As you probably know, post-nasal drip causes the mucus from your nose to build up at the back of your throat. When this happens, it mixes with your saliva, leaving an odd salty taste in your mouth.
4. Dry Mouth
If, in addition to a salty taste in your mouth, you also feel like you’re eating cotton balls, then you probably have a dry mouth or xerostomia. This condition can be caused by a variety of factors like aging and smoking. But it can also be a side effect of medications.
Xerostomia symptoms include:
- grooved tongue
- bad breath
- hoarseness
- thick or stringy saliva
5. Acid Reflux or GERD
Acid reflux happens when your stomach acids flow into your esophagus, leaving a salty or sour taste in your mouth. Sometimes, acid reflux may also occur simultaneously with bile reflux which is when the bile from your small intestine flows into your stomach and esophagus.
When left untreated, acid reflux can lead to gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. This condition is characterized by a weakened esophageal sphincter allowing the bile and stomach acid to rise to your mouth. As such, you may experience a persistent salty taste in your mouth.
6. Nutritional Deficiencies
When your body lacks certain nutrients, it can mess up your taste buds too. In most cases, you’ll experience a constant bitter or salty taste in your mouth. If the doctor suspects this to be the case, they will do a blood test to determine which nutrients are lacking. So if you suspect that the odd taste in your mouth is due to nutritional deficiencies, you should consult your doctor.
7. Sjögren Syndrome
Sjögren syndrome is an auto-immune disorder that causes the immune system to attack the healthy tissues in your body, including your salivary glands and tear ducts. This usually results in a burning sensation in the eyes and a dry mouth which causes everything to taste salty.
8. Blood in the Mouth
As mentioned, our blood is rich in iron. This is why when your mouth bleeds, it can leave a metallic or salty taste on your tongue. There are a variety of causes for oral bleeding. Eating pointed foods like chips or brushing your teeth vigorously can damage your gums, causing them to bleed. Poor oral hygiene and certain gum diseases may also cause oral bleeding.
9. Medication Side Effects
Some medications can cause your mouth to go dry or seep into your saliva. These can leave a salty or metallic taste in your mouth. Cancer medications like chemotherapy can also damage your taste buds and salivary glands, thus messing up your sense of taste.
10. Hormonal Imbalance
Changing hormone levels like those experienced during pregnancy and menopause can also mess up your sense of taste. Pregnant women also tend to have very sensitive gums making them prone to oral bleeding.
11. Medical Conditions
Certain medical conditions that affect the brain, like Bell’s palsy or brain tumor, may also affect the tongue. But the change in your taste buds may also be caused by a neurological condition called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. This happens when the liquid that’s surrounding your brain and protecting it from injuries leaks into your nose and mouth. If you suspect that your condition is caused by a CSF leak, talk to your doctor immediately.
How to Get Rid of Salty Taste in the Mouth
There are various ways to get rid of that salty taste in your mouth, depending on its underlying cause. The most common ones are:
1. Rehydrate
Not drinking enough water can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. So it’s essential to keep your body rehydrated so that it can function at full potential.
According to the 2004 report of the Food and Nutrition Board, the recommended daily water intake for women should be approximately 2.7 liters. For men, however, it should be about 3.7 liters of total water each day.
2. Eat Nutritious Food
Eating vegetables and other nutritious food will help you to lessen your nutrition deficiency. However, it’s also advisable to seek an appointment with your doctor first so they can check what nutrition you are lacking. From there, they can prescribe you what vitamin supplements you should be taking.
3. Avoid Carbonated Drinks
Drinking carbonated drinks can make you burp, and burping sends the acid back to your esophagus. This usually leads to acid reflux which leaves an odd taste in your mouth.
4. Lose Weight
There is a link between obesity and Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), and people with excess belly fat are more prone to acid reflux. Belly fats can cause pressure to the stomach, resulting in the acid flowing back to the esophagus. Fortunately, there are several foods that can help you burn your belly fat fast.
5. Take Probiotics
Probiotics are famous for their several health benefits. It’s widely known for improving the immune system. Lucky you, there are now oral probiotics in the market, like Bionaze, that specialize in treating mouth, ear, and nasal issues.
Bionaze is a one-of-a-kind probiotic supplement formulated with two cutting-edge probiotic strains, BLIS K12 and Bl-04. Thus, it can help you treat post-nasal drip and oral health problems, such as mouth sores.
6. Improve Your Oral Hygiene
Keeping your mouth clean strengthens your gums and makes them less prone to bleeding. If you already have sensitive gums, use oral rinses or a toothbrush with soft bristles. You can also ask your dentist what oral hygiene practices will suit you best.
When to See Your Doctor
As mentioned, that odd salty taste in your mouth will usually go away on its own. But if it doesn’t and it’s accompanied by other serious symptoms, then don’t hesitate to seek medical advice right away.
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Bionaze is a proprietary blend of probiotics proven to promote ear, nose, and throat health, improve digestion, and support your immune system. The active ingredients BLIS K12, and BL-04 are considered among the best probiotics according to science.
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About The Author
Judy Ponio is a professional writer based in the Philippines. Her commitment to communicating factual content in when writing is unmatched. She works hard to cross check reputable sources to ensure her work uses accurate facts.
