Bitter taste in mouth

[Guest]

For a couple of weeks now I have had a bitter or strange taste in my mouth. It is at the back of my throat, and is particularly noticeable at night first thing in the morning. I think it is mucus (post nasal drip?). Mucus collects in my throat, and I have to swallow it (yuk!) The mucus is clear or white-streaked- it doesn't seem infected. My teeth are good. I haven't had a cold.

[Guest]

Mucus drainage in the back of the throat is called postnasal drip. Causes of this symptom include:

Bacterial infection
Colds
Flu
Hay fever
Head injury
Nasal sprays
Sinusitis


Colds will often begin with a clear nasal discharge and can turn creamy yellow or green, which may indicate a viral infection (not bacterial).

If the symptoms last for more than 3 weeks, or if you've experienced a head injury recently, I'd suggest that you see an ENT specialist.

[Guest]

Thank you. I went to the doctor, as the drip was stopping me sleeping. It's just an allergy, (don't know to what) and i have been prescribed steroids

[Guest]

I'm glad to hear that you found a diagnosis and treatment. I hope that the steroids help...but try to avoid long term use. Maybe you can go in for allergy testing (pin-prick) to identify the possible allergic reaction and avoid that substance. Cut out the cause at the root!

[Guest]

I also have a bitter taste in my mouth.
I have had the bitter taste for 5 days now. I taste bad in the morning, and when I eat food, especially sweet food, tastes bitter. The bitter taste goes away in between meals.

I don't feel bad in any other way.

There is no mucus, I am taking no drugs, not eating anything unusual.

I don't know what causes this.

[Guest]

pine nuts
I did some googleing - it might be because I ate pine nuts. A number of people have reported this. What gives me doubt though, is that my friend ate the same pine nuts with me and she does not have any bitter taste in her mouth.

from wiki:
Risks of eating pine nuts
The eating of pine nuts can cause serious taste disturbances, developing 1-3 days after consumption and lasting for days or weeks. A bitter, metallic taste is described. In general, a minority of pine nuts on the market present this problem. Though very unpleasant, there doesn't seem to be a real health concern.
This phenomenon was first described in a scientific paper in 2001.[6] Since the article, experiences of the phenomenon have been reported by hundreds of people worldwide (US, Canada, South Africa, Finland, Iceland, Germany, and many more).[7] [8]
The pine nuts involved typically contain triglycerides formed by 16-18° unsaturated fatty acids. No contamination with pesticide residues or heavy metals was found.
Some of the pine nuts involved were imported from China. However, in many countries packaged pine nuts are not required to state the country of origin or the species, and thus it is impossible to conclusively link the effect to a particular species or source country.

[irving]

I eat pine nuts but havent felt anything of that sort.. i think it differs from person to person. I suggest its better you consult a doc regarding this.

[ppyo]

Hmm, interesting. And did steroids help? Just curious .

[peytoncyras]

* Treat your halitosis problem, and your bad taste in the mouth problem disappears with it. The surest way to treat halitosis or bad breath is to maintain good oral hygiene. You will need to brush your teeth regularly, floss, gargle with strong mouthwash regularly, and have breath mints and sprays handy. Visit your dentist regularly as well, and eating a diet that is composed mostly of vegetables as well as fruits can help with halitosis and bad taste in the mouth problems.

* If the cause of your bad taste in the mouth problem is your medication, have your doctor prescribe you a similar medication that does not have that side effect. You can also avoid certain medical formulations that can cause this problem by reading the side effects that are found written on the bottles of these medicines.

* You should have your periodontitis treated if that is the source of the bad taste lingering in your mouth. A visit to your dentist will help you get rid of this problem, which is sometimes brought about by bad dental habits and smoking.