This condition can be diagnosed by a Kirkland dentist.

Does it seem like you've been sucking on pennies in your sleep? Here's what you need to know about that metallic taste in your mouth, and how to make it go away. Dysgeusia (pronounced "dis-GOOZ-ee-a") is any distortion in the perception of taste.

It can include:

• A metallic taste
• A bad taste (cacogeusia)
• Complete loss of taste (ageusia)
• Things taste "wrong"
• Things taste stronger than they should (hypergeusia)

Dysgeusia can be a symptom of some other problem or a side effect of another condition or medication. Dysgeusia is relatively common and can have numerous causes, many of which are temporary. For example, the common cold, flu, a nasal or sinus infection, strep throat or other short-lived conditions can affect the sense of taste.

Nerve cells responsible for taste are called gustatory cells. Your taste buds are filled with these cells, but they also are found in other areas of your mouth and throat. These cells collect taste information, which is sent to the brain.

In some patients with dysgeusia, the sense of smell also can be altered. Nerve cells involved in the sense of smell are called olfactory cells. Gustatory and olfactory cells work together to produce the sense of taste.

Our taste cells can only identify four sensations: sour, bitter, salty and sweet. The subtleties of flavor come from your sense of smell. To understand the connection between taste and smell, try taking a sip of coffee or eating an orange slice while you hold your nose. It will be difficult for you to taste the flavor of the food or drink.

Other causes include:

• Smoking
Gingivitis or periodontal (gum) disease
• Certain medications, including lithium, antibiotics, ACE inhibitors and many chemotherapy drugs.
Dry mouth (xerostomia), which also can be caused by many medications
• Vitamin or mineral deficiency
• Conditions that affect the face or throat, such as
Sjögren's syndrome or Bell's palsy
• A brain tumor or trauma to the head
• Damage to the taste nerves
• Metabolic problems, such as diabetes, thyroid disease or liver problems
• Depression
• Laryngectomy (removal of the voice box)

 

Symptoms

The alterations in the sense of taste (and sometimes smell).

Diagnosis

Your doctor can use a "scratch and sniff" test to evaluate your sense of smell. The test consists of cards, each containing an odor that is released when scratched. You are asked to identify the odor on each card.

Tests are available to evaluate your senses of taste and smell. Certain chemicals made to produce the four major tastes - sour, sweet, bitter, salty — can be applied to areas of your tongue. Or you may be asked to take a taste test, in which you sip certain test liquids and try to identify their tastes.

Your kirkland dentist will take a medical history, perform a physical exam and ask you detailed questions about your dysgeusia — how long you've noticed it, what kind of taste changes you've noticed, and possible causes (such as smoking, cold or flu or other conditions).

 

Prevention

Some causes of dysgeusia can be prevented, but most cannot. Quitting smoking will improve your senses of taste and smell. Practicing good oral hygiene, getting regular dental care, and having sinus problems treated also can help.

 

Treatment

Many times, dysgeusia is treated by treating the underlying cause. If the underlying cause is not treatable — for example, if you have irreversible nerve damage — your dysgeusia cannot be treatable either, although it may go away or be tolerated.

 

When To Call A Professional

You may be referred to your general dentist or a specialist if an oral condition is involved. In some cases, you may need to visit a center that specializes in taste and smell disorders.

Call your cosmetic dentist or redmond dentist if any taste changes persist for at least two weeks. Many times, dysgeusia will last only a few days if it is caused by a cold or other short-term problem. It is best to visit your primary-care doctor first to rule out medical problems.

 

Prognosis

Dysgeusia for which a cause cannot be found is called "idiopathic dysgeusia", and its prognosis is difficult to determine. In some cases of idiopathic dysgeusia, the problem may go away on its own. In others, it will not. In either case, it is important to be evaluated so that the known causes of dysgeusia can be ruled out.

The prognosis is excellent if the cause of the dysgeusia can be identified. If the cause is gum disease, plaque, a short-term condition such as a cold or a temporary medication, the dysgeusia should disappear once the cause is removed says a seattle dentist and cosmetic dentist. If the dysgeusia is related to an underlying serious disease, such as liver disease or diabetes, there is also usually good prognosis.

What it is: Dysgeusia is the medical term for a change in your sense of taste; most often, you'll get a sour or metallic taste (yuck!) that persists even when you're not eating.

What causes the metallic taste: Hormones, and in particular estrogen, seem to play a role in controlling and moderating our sense of taste. And when you're pregnant, estrogen levels — and hence your sense of taste — may fluctuate widely. Plus, your sense of taste and your sense of smell are intimately connected, so pregnancy-related changes in your sense of smell may also lead to dysgeusia.

What you need to know about it: For something we don't hear much about, dysgeusia is surprisingly common in pregnancy. Like morning sickness, it should get better (or, if you're lucky, disappear altogether) in your second trimester when those hormones begin to settle down a bit.

What to do about it: Try banishing that metallic taste with acids says a seattle dentist. Focus on sour flavors such as citrus juices, lemonade, and — assuming your tummy can handle them — foods marinated in vinegar (pickles anyone? After all, you are pregnant).

All these foods not only have the power to break through the metallic taste in your mouth, they also increase saliva production, which will help wash it away. You might also talk to your practitioner about changing your prenatal vitamin; some seem to lead to metal mouth more than others.

Kirkland Dentist