I'll bet many, if not all, of you are on a low-salt diet, correct? Use just a little more salt! That was the cause of the salty taste in MY mouth. Here's what happened: About 11 years ago, I decided that I was addicted to salt (like most Americans) and that I would cut way back on my salt consumption. I stopped eating fast food, no more processed foods, and I have been cooking all my meals at home. I completely stopped adding salt to my food. Shortly afterward, I began experiencing that weird salty taste in my mouth (mainly around the gumline and my tongue) but it seemed rather inconsistent. I just wasn't putting two and two together and I was quite baffled because my eating habits probably were still a little inconsistent at first. For the past 10 years, no one was ever able to properly diagnose the problem for me. I consulted my hygenist, my dentist, my doctor, another doctor, etc. Finally, in February 2008, a blood test from my annual checkup revealed that my Na and my Cl (that's NaCl = SALT) were below the normal levels (-130). Well, I thought that was pretty interesting, so I started to experiment, increasing the salt in my diet. The good news is that it's quite easy to control. There is no salty taste in my mouth as long as I continue to use a shake of salt with EVERY SINGLE MEAL. However, if I stop using salt for even one meal, my mouth abruptly turns salty again within several hours. Good luck to the rest of you!
amazing. i thought i was the only one. i'm a little depressed by all this, but mostly enthused. m y salt mouth began a week ago. i thought a waitress, my friend, was tricking me by putting salt into my diet coke. then, she put it in my water. i found out that it was just me. old salt mouth.
let me ask you this. i have been on zoloft for 3 or 4 yrs. i suddenly began to have chronic watery stools and my dr. said wean off the zoloft. i have. could the lack of zoloft cause salt mouth?
o am on 2 new things that could be culprits. andrew lessman is on hsn and i have started his vit. d and his healthy hair and nails. could that be it.??
let's hang in there. i wonder if there is a site for sugar mouths? hardy har.
let me ask you this. i have been on zoloft for 3 or 4 yrs. i suddenly began to have chronic watery stools and my dr. said wean off the zoloft. i have. could the lack of zoloft cause salt mouth?
o am on 2 new things that could be culprits. andrew lessman is on hsn and i have started his vit. d and his healthy hair and nails. could that be it.??
let's hang in there. i wonder if there is a site for sugar mouths? hardy har.
Greetings -
Two weeks ago awoke with slightly chipped front tooth. Salty/metallic taste began. The dentist filed down and added some porcelin filler. I think he missed a bit cause I still feel some roughness at the edge of the tooth. He advised he never heard of a funny taste from a chip before.
After another week of suffering, I'm calling tomorrow for a follow up appointment. In the meantime, purchase a rubber mouth guard for my bottom teeth - the type used to prevent grinding at night. By putting it on the bottom teeth, am keeping my tongue from touching the tooth culprit.
But am wondering it that is the cause - was it the swim in the Ocean a couple weeks ago around the same time the taste started. Is it a sinus problem?
This issue is really maddening.
Everybody, keep the post going.
Two weeks ago awoke with slightly chipped front tooth. Salty/metallic taste began. The dentist filed down and added some porcelin filler. I think he missed a bit cause I still feel some roughness at the edge of the tooth. He advised he never heard of a funny taste from a chip before.
After another week of suffering, I'm calling tomorrow for a follow up appointment. In the meantime, purchase a rubber mouth guard for my bottom teeth - the type used to prevent grinding at night. By putting it on the bottom teeth, am keeping my tongue from touching the tooth culprit.
But am wondering it that is the cause - was it the swim in the Ocean a couple weeks ago around the same time the taste started. Is it a sinus problem?
This issue is really maddening.
Everybody, keep the post going.
hi. i went home yesterday after reading all these posts and found that i've been using that toothpaste "crest whitening with scope". several ppl mentioned it, so i've thown it out. hopefully...
it's nice knwing that i'm not crazy about the salt in my mouth.
any thoughts on my stopping zoloft? could that be it?
it's nice knwing that i'm not crazy about the salt in my mouth.
any thoughts on my stopping zoloft? could that be it?
hello? did everyone get cured? maybe i just don't know how to follow a thread.
I've had abnormally chapped lips for weeks. I've been a coffee drinker for a few years, since I was 16 or so. I've been on birth control (Yasmin) for five months now.
Last couple months I've been using an extra whitening toothpaste, and brushing more harshly + more often. This makes my mouth burn and tingle afterward even without mouthwash. I've also had acid reflux, which is worsened by the BC, coffee drinking, and overeating I've been doing lately.
I had both an oral and vaginal thrush infection a couple weeks ago. I started eating yogurt with acidophilus to help balance yeast. I take a women's multivitamin as well as a B12 supplement (~100-200mcg/day). And I have been eating a lot more margarine this last week.
Today, my chapped lips have strangely disappeared.
But everything tastes salty. I took a drink of coffee and was shocked at the taste. Even water tastes salty right now. And sweet... isn't so sweet.
I'm going to try a new non-whitening toothpaste, alcohol free mouthwash, cutting down on coffee, drinking more water, and I'll see how it goes.
I think that perhaps a lot of the salty taste people are experiencing could simply be irritation or sensitivity of some sort (which can certainly be caused by caffeine, alcohol, pop, and harsh toothpaste and mouthwash, or by infection etc.) in combination with a mineral imbalance in the body and/or dehydration. Even if your municipal water supply is a little less pure than the ideal, it could contribute. Could be caused by a nervous condition as well. It's just one of those things, like a headache, albeit less common, that could mean any number of things are wrong (but probably are not).
Last couple months I've been using an extra whitening toothpaste, and brushing more harshly + more often. This makes my mouth burn and tingle afterward even without mouthwash. I've also had acid reflux, which is worsened by the BC, coffee drinking, and overeating I've been doing lately.
I had both an oral and vaginal thrush infection a couple weeks ago. I started eating yogurt with acidophilus to help balance yeast. I take a women's multivitamin as well as a B12 supplement (~100-200mcg/day). And I have been eating a lot more margarine this last week.
Today, my chapped lips have strangely disappeared.
But everything tastes salty. I took a drink of coffee and was shocked at the taste. Even water tastes salty right now. And sweet... isn't so sweet.
I'm going to try a new non-whitening toothpaste, alcohol free mouthwash, cutting down on coffee, drinking more water, and I'll see how it goes.
I think that perhaps a lot of the salty taste people are experiencing could simply be irritation or sensitivity of some sort (which can certainly be caused by caffeine, alcohol, pop, and harsh toothpaste and mouthwash, or by infection etc.) in combination with a mineral imbalance in the body and/or dehydration. Even if your municipal water supply is a little less pure than the ideal, it could contribute. Could be caused by a nervous condition as well. It's just one of those things, like a headache, albeit less common, that could mean any number of things are wrong (but probably are not).
I just contracted this a few days ago. I have read that this is sometimes a side effect of sinusitis. I have a headache on the left side of my head, near my neck, almost like a migraine. MRI showed possible sinusitis, so I'm going to my physician with that info on Thursday.
My symptoms show a heavier "salt" taste on the left side of my mouth, particularly with sweets. Lemon water has been a big help, rather than sweetened sodas, etc.
This is a great thread, very helpful.
My symptoms show a heavier "salt" taste on the left side of my mouth, particularly with sweets. Lemon water has been a big help, rather than sweetened sodas, etc.
This is a great thread, very helpful.
More on my ongoing saga;
I have not had the salty taste for a while. But here is what has happened.
I experienced a cramping in my jaw accompanied by an odd feeling just below my ear .
The next day I had an infection and had to get shot of antibiotics.
it continued to spread and I received a second shot.
But; this is the interesting part
I was sent to an oral surgeon because there was no clear explanation where the infection came from.
From the swelling and redness location he determined that this was a classic sign, possibly the result of a blockage of the saliva glands near the ear. His xrays did not show stones which is a common problem. But I have another appointment with him after the antibiotics do their work.
whether this might cause the salt taste is not yet clear, but this infection was serious.
So...
I will get back if I have more.
I have not had the salty taste for a while. But here is what has happened.
I experienced a cramping in my jaw accompanied by an odd feeling just below my ear .
The next day I had an infection and had to get shot of antibiotics.
it continued to spread and I received a second shot.
But; this is the interesting part
I was sent to an oral surgeon because there was no clear explanation where the infection came from.
From the swelling and redness location he determined that this was a classic sign, possibly the result of a blockage of the saliva glands near the ear. His xrays did not show stones which is a common problem. But I have another appointment with him after the antibiotics do their work.
whether this might cause the salt taste is not yet clear, but this infection was serious.
So...
I will get back if I have more.
I have moderated my coffee-drinking (a few mouthfuls a day to ward off headaches and fatigue), and I have stopped using mouthwash with alcohol, and also stopped using extra whitening toothpaste with baking soda. Drinking more water, soy milk instead of real milk, lots of bran and proteins now. Eating smaller meals as well, and consequently hardly ever have heartburn anymore. Salty taste has DISAPPEARED!
I can't say why exactly, but if you're having these symptoms with no perceivable underlying condition, it's at least worth a shot to try what I did.
I can't say why exactly, but if you're having these symptoms with no perceivable underlying condition, it's at least worth a shot to try what I did.
well, i think it was the toothpaste. i changed to regular old time colgate and have not had a salty taste. also quit taking andrew lessman's vitamin d. i'll stay in touch.
Well, I just read every post going back to 2006. I found some helpful ideas to follow up on, but no real cure.
I first had the problem in the spring this year, and would not have described the taste as only "salty" at that time. (Metallic/disgusting/brackish...)
After a couple of months, it resolved-we chalked it up to an infection caused by my mouthguard (for TMJ). I was treated with Biaxin (side effect-bad taste in mouth) and had a head-CT (due to migraine, caused - I think - by dehydration and hunger). No sign of sinus infection or other problems. The ENT thought there was probably nerve damage to my mouth or taste buds and time would heal it, and that did appear to be the case, as I had a few months symptom-free.
It started again a few weeks ago, but a 2-week course of cipro did not help. I was on Etodolac (anti-inflammatory) and switched off around the time the first episode resolved, then back on 2 weeks before the second episode started, so I stopped that drug...no help. Then I stopped my flexeril (rare side effect - dysgeusia), thinking perhaps the combination was the culprit (since I have taken flexeril many times in the past with no problems.) No help there either.
I had an MRI of the throat and salivary glands - no problems there.
My sodium levels are neither too high nor too low and all other blood tests are normal, including thyroid.
I have suffered from nasal allergies all my life and have taken Flonase and other nasal sprays in the past. This does not feel like postnasal drip, an allergic reaction, or a sinus infection, nor do I have any other symptoms related to those problems. I have not taken the Flonase in a while, so it is not related to damage from the medication, maybe I should restart it, even in the absence of allergy symptoms.
The taste is not localized to a tooth, I have not had recent dental work, and I have checked with the dentist to be sure that I do not have an abcess and that my fillings are all still intact.
I do not have a gastric reflux - this is not an obvious acid stomach.
I read up on Sjogren's Syndrome and the symptoms don't match - I don't have a DRY mouth, just a horrid taste in the mouth. (But I do have some arthritis...)
I have not changed toothpastes or mouthrinses in YEARS, though I did use Biotene during the last bout - to rinse my mouth so I could quickly choke down some food.
I drink filtered water at home, so chlorine is unlikely to be the culprit. I drink bottled water at the office (but not an excessive amount), don't drink soda, and only drank 2-3 cups of coffee a week before this started. Since it started, I can't bear to drink anything BUT plain water, and I have to force that down because it tastes so bad.
I have lost 15 pounds so far because everything tastes awful. Soup is the least offensive, pretzels and saltines are bearable, everything else is pretty disgusting. The most miserable thing is that I am soooo hungry and food still SMELLS wonderful!
I'm not supposed to chew gum (because of my TMJ), but I recently found that a strong spearmint gum helps briefly, so I have gotten a few minutes of relief by chewing gum or sucking on Lifesaver peppermint candies.
NEXT STEPS:
1. Look for and d/c use of tea tree extract products (I'm not using any new products, but maybe I developed a new sensitivity?)
2. Try Zantac or Prilosec course just in case.
3. Restart Flonase.
4. Check with Doctor about possibility of Sjogren's Syndrome, just in case.
5. Start taking a multi-vitamin (sx can be caused by zinc or B-12 deficiency).
6. Switch contac lens solutions - I use Clear Care now, which turns into saline solution.
7. Possiblity of heavy metal poisoning?
Trouble is - I'm so desperate I'll try everything - if it goes away, how do I know what, if anything, worked??? :(
I first had the problem in the spring this year, and would not have described the taste as only "salty" at that time. (Metallic/disgusting/brackish...)
After a couple of months, it resolved-we chalked it up to an infection caused by my mouthguard (for TMJ). I was treated with Biaxin (side effect-bad taste in mouth) and had a head-CT (due to migraine, caused - I think - by dehydration and hunger). No sign of sinus infection or other problems. The ENT thought there was probably nerve damage to my mouth or taste buds and time would heal it, and that did appear to be the case, as I had a few months symptom-free.
It started again a few weeks ago, but a 2-week course of cipro did not help. I was on Etodolac (anti-inflammatory) and switched off around the time the first episode resolved, then back on 2 weeks before the second episode started, so I stopped that drug...no help. Then I stopped my flexeril (rare side effect - dysgeusia), thinking perhaps the combination was the culprit (since I have taken flexeril many times in the past with no problems.) No help there either.
I had an MRI of the throat and salivary glands - no problems there.
My sodium levels are neither too high nor too low and all other blood tests are normal, including thyroid.
I have suffered from nasal allergies all my life and have taken Flonase and other nasal sprays in the past. This does not feel like postnasal drip, an allergic reaction, or a sinus infection, nor do I have any other symptoms related to those problems. I have not taken the Flonase in a while, so it is not related to damage from the medication, maybe I should restart it, even in the absence of allergy symptoms.
The taste is not localized to a tooth, I have not had recent dental work, and I have checked with the dentist to be sure that I do not have an abcess and that my fillings are all still intact.
I do not have a gastric reflux - this is not an obvious acid stomach.
I read up on Sjogren's Syndrome and the symptoms don't match - I don't have a DRY mouth, just a horrid taste in the mouth. (But I do have some arthritis...)
I have not changed toothpastes or mouthrinses in YEARS, though I did use Biotene during the last bout - to rinse my mouth so I could quickly choke down some food.
I drink filtered water at home, so chlorine is unlikely to be the culprit. I drink bottled water at the office (but not an excessive amount), don't drink soda, and only drank 2-3 cups of coffee a week before this started. Since it started, I can't bear to drink anything BUT plain water, and I have to force that down because it tastes so bad.
I have lost 15 pounds so far because everything tastes awful. Soup is the least offensive, pretzels and saltines are bearable, everything else is pretty disgusting. The most miserable thing is that I am soooo hungry and food still SMELLS wonderful!
I'm not supposed to chew gum (because of my TMJ), but I recently found that a strong spearmint gum helps briefly, so I have gotten a few minutes of relief by chewing gum or sucking on Lifesaver peppermint candies.
NEXT STEPS:
1. Look for and d/c use of tea tree extract products (I'm not using any new products, but maybe I developed a new sensitivity?)
2. Try Zantac or Prilosec course just in case.
3. Restart Flonase.
4. Check with Doctor about possibility of Sjogren's Syndrome, just in case.
5. Start taking a multi-vitamin (sx can be caused by zinc or B-12 deficiency).
6. Switch contac lens solutions - I use Clear Care now, which turns into saline solution.
7. Possiblity of heavy metal poisoning?
Trouble is - I'm so desperate I'll try everything - if it goes away, how do I know what, if anything, worked??? :(
Amazing thread...VERY long!
My dad has this problem, & i want to help him.
He's in his 70s & lives in UK.
He had this salty taste for months, then did a little experiment.
He left a tea-spoon full of saliva on the window-sill. After a day the liquid had all dissipated, but the spoon had a HUGE amount of salt in it, left behind. Almost a quarter of a tea-spoon of salt remained.
So in his case it is not a taste bud/neurological problem...the salt is there.
Tear ducts may be a cause, thanks for that. Also, he suffered with a terrible stomach ulcer for many years, until the H.Pylori bacteria thing was discovered & treated.
What the hell is it?
My dad has this problem, & i want to help him.
He's in his 70s & lives in UK.
He had this salty taste for months, then did a little experiment.
He left a tea-spoon full of saliva on the window-sill. After a day the liquid had all dissipated, but the spoon had a HUGE amount of salt in it, left behind. Almost a quarter of a tea-spoon of salt remained.
So in his case it is not a taste bud/neurological problem...the salt is there.
Tear ducts may be a cause, thanks for that. Also, he suffered with a terrible stomach ulcer for many years, until the H.Pylori bacteria thing was discovered & treated.
What the hell is it?
OK, I have had this for a few weeks now, and I am excited to have made a breakthrough!!!
I was getting ulcers pretty regularly on my tongue and after researching this, I changed my toothpaste for one that didn't contain Sodium Laurel Sulphate which is a frothing agent. Anyway, my ulcers abated and I carried on using the toothpaste until it ran out - it was pretty dear for toothpaste!!! The next tube I bought was a Macleans whitening toothpaste - again quite expensive as I want to look after my teeth.
Anyway, the problem now was I was getting this vile salty taste in my mouth which was incredibly depressing. I didn't associate the two things as the taste didn't appear for a week or so. After struggling on for 3 weeks with this salty taste I decided to eliminate the toothpaste and use an ordinary supermarket one instead. Within 24 hours the salty taste was much less! I will carry on with this toothpaste as it seems to have really helped.
My guess for this problem is Whitening toothpaste. Give it a miss and see what happens.
I was getting ulcers pretty regularly on my tongue and after researching this, I changed my toothpaste for one that didn't contain Sodium Laurel Sulphate which is a frothing agent. Anyway, my ulcers abated and I carried on using the toothpaste until it ran out - it was pretty dear for toothpaste!!! The next tube I bought was a Macleans whitening toothpaste - again quite expensive as I want to look after my teeth.
Anyway, the problem now was I was getting this vile salty taste in my mouth which was incredibly depressing. I didn't associate the two things as the taste didn't appear for a week or so. After struggling on for 3 weeks with this salty taste I decided to eliminate the toothpaste and use an ordinary supermarket one instead. Within 24 hours the salty taste was much less! I will carry on with this toothpaste as it seems to have really helped.
My guess for this problem is Whitening toothpaste. Give it a miss and see what happens.
Hi
Okay folks this looks to be the cure for me maybe something to check into
The oral surgeon confimed that the salty symptom was likely the calcification blocking the saliva gland---
bacteria backups into the gland and can cause mild to severe affects. mild probably being the bad taste and the saltiness. Severe being the infection I got.
so if you can afford the few hundred for an xray set it might be worth it to see an oral surgeon just to be sure you don't have this problem. It took two shots of antibiodics to stop the infection which took off in less than twenty four hours from the time I experienced sever pains in my jaw area.
one thing that does help is lemon drops because they cause the gland to work
plus adequate amounts of water.(proper hydration is important)
Granny Smith apples also help the gland work.
The infection can be serious and can move quickly--not to be messed around with.
Okay folks this looks to be the cure for me maybe something to check into
The oral surgeon confimed that the salty symptom was likely the calcification blocking the saliva gland---
bacteria backups into the gland and can cause mild to severe affects. mild probably being the bad taste and the saltiness. Severe being the infection I got.
so if you can afford the few hundred for an xray set it might be worth it to see an oral surgeon just to be sure you don't have this problem. It took two shots of antibiodics to stop the infection which took off in less than twenty four hours from the time I experienced sever pains in my jaw area.
one thing that does help is lemon drops because they cause the gland to work
plus adequate amounts of water.(proper hydration is important)
Granny Smith apples also help the gland work.
The infection can be serious and can move quickly--not to be messed around with.
I just had a tooth pulled last week and was told to rinse with peroxide followed by salt water 4 times a day. After the 3rd day is when I started to only be able to taste salt. Everything tastes like salt now and it's driving me crazy. No-one has ever heard of this and can't tell me how to get rid of it.