Causes of a Salty Taste in the Mouth There are many diseases - TopicsExpress



          

Causes of a Salty Taste in the Mouth There are many diseases and other health conditions which can lead to a reoccurring, abnormal salty taste in the mouth. The more serious conditions which can cause changes to the way tastes are perceived also will have other, more serious symptoms which will probably be noticed first. It is also important to differentiate if the taste is truly salty, or if it is more metallic in nature. A metallic taste is usually caused by bleeding in the mouth or as a side effect of a medication. A salty taste on the lips, and in the mouth can have a wide range of causes, some very common, some very rare. The most probable cause of a salty taste in the mouth is simply dehydration. The more dehydrated a person is, the more concentrated the chemicals are that are in saliva. The lips will also gradually become more salty when a person is dehydrated. Casually licking your lips without realizing it can lead to an abnormal salty taste in the mouth. For people who exercise regularly or work in hot environments without properly hydrating, this may occur frequently as they become dehydrated. There are two easy methods to test to see if you are dehydrated. The first is to simply look at your tongue in a mirror. The tongue should always have a smooth, wet appearance. The the tongue looks dry, you are dehydrated. The second way is to quickly pinch the skin on the top of your hand. If you are properly hydrated, the skin should spring back almost instantly. If you are dehydrated, the skin will stay pinched out of shape for a few seconds. The second most common cause of having an abnormal salty taste in the mouth is from post-nasal drip. This frequently occurs during winter, or when allergies are acting up. The bacteria, along with the fluid the body secrets to wash the bacteria away will have a salty taste. Normally, this fluid will run down the back of your throat, but on occasion it can enter the mouth and produce a salty taste. Depending on your allergies, this can happen very frequently. It is also important to note that using eye drops can cause the same effect. Eye drop solution will enter the tear ducts, which empties into the nasal cavity where it can make it´s way into the mouth. Eye drops have a very salty taste, so even a small amount in the mouth will give an unpleasant salty taste. The glands in your mouth and jaw that produce saliva also can cause a salty taste in the mouth if they become infected. These infections occur frequently in smokers, but last only a short time and usually produce no symptoms other than abnormal saliva quality which leads to the abnormal taste. Smoking causes these infections in two different ways. First, smoking will cause a dry mouth, which prevents the mouth from washing away excessive bacteria. Secondly, the mechanics of smoking sometimes result in bacteria from the mouth being pushed back through the saliva ducts to the glands, where they cause an infection. Because these glands produce large amounts of liquid, the infection is usually quickly cleared, but still causes abnormal tastes in the mouth for that short amount of time while the glands are infected.
Posted on: Fri, 27 Sep 2013 01:10:28 +0000

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