Blood Taste in the Mouth: 10 Causes (& What to Do)

In some cases, in addition to the taste of blood, other symptoms may be noted, such as nausea, abdominal pain, headache, facial pain, heartburn, frequent belching and a feeling of a lump in the throat.

Metallic Taste in Your Mouth: Common Causes

There are lots of reasons you may have a lingering metallic taste in your mouth, from medication to poor tooth brushing habits. Once you figure out why it’s happening, there are often easy steps you can take to get rid of the problem.

Oral Health

You might need to step up your dental hygiene. Brush and floss regularly to avoid problems with your teeth and gums, like gingivitis, periodontitis, and tooth infections. Those conditions can all put a bad taste in your mouth.

If poor oral health is the cause, you could also have swollen, bright, or dark red gums or gums that bleed easily. You might also have bad breath.

If you have these symptoms, see your dentist for a professional cleaning and ask if you need a prescription to treat any infections.

Colds and Other Infections

Have you been feeling under the weather? Colds, sinus infections, and upper respiratory infections can change the taste in your mouth. If this is the cause, you’ll also have symptoms like a runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, and cough.

Rest, drink plenty of fluids, and take over-the-counter pain relievers if necessary. The metallic taste should go away once you’re better.

Medication

Drugs like antibiotics can give you a metallic taste. Other possible causes in the medicine cabinet include:

• Heart medication
• Medicine for gout
• Antidepressants and lithium (used to treat some mental health conditions)

If the metallic taste bothers you, talk to your doctor, but don’t stop taking your medication without their approval.

Vitamins

Your prenatal vitamins, iron, or calcium supplements could be the cause. Multivitamins with copper, zinc, or chromium can leave a metallic flavor. So can cold lozenges that are made with zinc.

The good news: The metallic taste should go away soon after you take the pills.

Indigestion

Heartburn, acid reflux, and indigestion could be responsible for a metallic taste. Other symptoms you get with these conditions are bloating and a burning feeling in your chest after eating.

To treat the underlying problem, avoid rich foods, eat dinner earlier, and take antacids.

If you keep getting indigestion, have a hard time swallowing, or are in serious pain, see your doctor. The taste in your mouth should go back to normal when your indigestion is under control.

Pregnancy

It’s not a surprise that the taste in your mouth might shift when you’re pregnant.

You could develop a metallic taste at the beginning of your pregnancy. It should be temporary and go away on its own.

Dementia

Things often taste different when you have dementia. The part of the brain that controls taste sometimes stops working well.

Cook with strong or sweet flavors, and try different types of foods and drinks to help increase your appetite.

Cancer Treatment

Bitter or metallic tastes that linger in your mouth are a common side effect of chemotherapy and radiation. It usually goes away when you finish treatment.

In the meantime, switch up your foods to help mask the problem. Add tart ingredients like lemon juice, vinegar, or pickles to your meals. Spices, herbs, and sweeteners bring strong flavor. Try eating more frozen or cold foods. Swap metal utensils for wood or plastic.

Chemical Exposure

Inhaling high levels of mercury or lead can cause a metallic taste in your mouth. It’s important to avoid or lower you and your family’s exposure to these chemicals.

Lead can be harmful to both children and adults. Children can get lead poisoning from lead-based paints or lead-contaminated dust found in older buildings. Air, water, and soil can also get contaminated with lead and be dangerous. Adults who do home renovations and/or work with batteries have a higher risk of lead poisoning.

Mercury can be brought into your home from industrial sites and broken household items, like thermometers. Both long- and short-term exposure to mercury can be harmful to your health.

Removing the source of contamination (like getting rid of the lead-based paint) is the first line of treatment. You may also need medications from doctors.

CNS Disorders

Sometimes a central nervous system (CNS) disorder can cause you to have a taste distortion or make things taste different than usual. These include conditions like Bell’s palsy, multiple sclerosis (MS), and even depression. Talk to your doctor if you have one of these conditions and are noticing a metallic taste.

Metallic Taste in Your Mouth Treatment and Prevention

There’s no one way to treat or prevent a metallic taste in your mouth. Your treatment depends on the cause. In some cases this unpleasant symptom may clear up on its own, for instance if you stop taking the vitamins or remove the source of lead you’ve been exposed to. But other times, you have to try additional methods:

• See your dentist to clear up any infections around your teeth ( periodontitis ) or gums.
• Brush your teeth and tongue twice per day and floss once per day for good oral hygiene. This can prevent tooth decay and mouth infections.
• Drink water and chew sugar-free gum to keep away oral infections that could cause a metallic taste in the mouth.
• Before meals, rinse your mouth with a combination of a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1 cup of warm water.
• Try using plastic utensils and glass or ceramic cookware rather than metal ones.
• Try marinating meat in sweet fruit juices or sweet wines or cook with lots of herbs and spices.
• Some medications can give you a metallic taste in your mouth. Check with your doctor and let them know that you are experiencing this side effect. Perhaps switching to a different medication may help. Don’t stop taking prescribed medication without first talking to your doctor.

Blood Taste in the Mouth: 10 Causes (& What to Do)

A blood taste in the mouth can also be described as an iron or metallic taste. It is often caused by poor oral hygiene, gingivitis, use of iron-based vitamins and supplements, nosebleeds, medication use, cancer treatment, sinusitis or it can be a sign of a stomach ulcer or acid reflux.

In some cases, in addition to the taste of blood, other symptoms may be noted, such as nausea, abdominal pain, headache, facial pain, heartburn, frequent belching and a feeling of a lump in the throat.

If you notice a blood taste in the mouth, you should consult a doctor for assessment and treatment. This may involve improving brushing habits, suspending or changing the dose of a medication, or dietary changes.

Why do I taste blood in the mouth?

The main causes of a taste of blood in the mouth are:

1. Inadequate tooth brushing

Brushing your teeth too hard or with a toothbrush that is too hard can cause your gums to bleed, leading to a taste of blood in your mouth.

What to do: Be sure to brush your teeth less vigorously and to use a toothbrush with softer bristles and a more flexible head to prevent gum bleeding.

2. Gingivitis

Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums that occurs due to the accumulation of bacterial plaque or tartar between the gums and the teeth. Due to swelling, the gums become more sensitive and can bleed and cause a blood taste when brushing your teeth, flossing or consuming very hard food.

What to do: You should consult your dentist for a teeth cleaning to eliminate accumulated plaque and tartar. You should improve oral hygiene habits and brush and floss your teeth twice twice a day.

3. Use of iron-based vitamins and supplements

The use of supplements or vitamins that contain iron, zinc, chromium and/or copper in their composition can also cause a metallic taste in the mouth, which can taste like blood.

What to do: A blood taste in the mouth generally improves as the nutrients present in the vitamins are absorbed. However, if the taste of blood does not improve over time, you should consult your prescriber to determine whether this supplement should be suspended or swapped for an alternative.

4. Use of medications

Some medications may have a side effect of changes in taste and the taste of blood in the mouth. These medications, like antibiotics, antifungals, antidepressants, some antihistamines, diuretics, steroids and medications for osteoporosis or glaucoma, can interfere with saliva production.

What to do: A blood taste in the mouth usually resolves after finishing the medication. However, it is important to inform the prescriber of the side effect so that the possibility of adjusting the dose or swapping for another medication can be assessed.

5. Nosebleed

Bleeding from the nose can lead to blood dripping into the mouth through the through, especially when you tilt your head back. This can cause a blood taste in the mouth. Nose bleeds can happen due to blows to the area or it can be a symptoms of high blood pressure, a deviated septum or hemophilia. Read more about what causes nose bleeds.

What to do: To stop a nosebleed, pinch your nostrils together for 5 to 10 minutes. If bleeding persists, you should see a doctor for further assessment to determine the underlying cause of bleeding and treatment. To get rid of the taste of blood in your mouth, simply brush your teeth and rinse your mouth with mouthwash.

6. Tuberculosis

One of the symptoms of tuberculosis is coughing up blood, which can cause a metallic or blood taste in the mouth. This condition is typically treated with antibiotics, which can also contribute to taste changes a blood taste.

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by a bacteria that invades the lungs and grows. It leads to symptoms such as difficulty breathing, low fever, cold sweat, persistent cough and chest pain.

What to do: It is important for a doctor to direct treatment, as this will help eliminate harmful bacteria and relieve symptoms. In cases where the taste of blood in the mouth is occurring as a side effect of the medication, it is important to inform the doctor, who will assess the possibility of adjusting the medication dose or type of medication used.

7. Sinusitis

Sinusitis is characterized by inflammation of the sinuses that causes symptoms such as facial pain, headaches, a plugged nose, cough, fever and a blood taste in the mouth, in some cases. This metallic taste is the result of high amounts of mucus accumulated within the face, which can run down the throat and cause a metallic taste.

Furthermore, constant coughing with sinusitis can also irritate the throat, leading to a taste of blood in the mouth.

What to do: Treatment should be directed by a doctor, who will likely prescribe medications for sinusitis that will facilitate the eliminate of secretions. You should increase your fluid intake and also perform steam inhalations. Bacterial sinusitis can be further treated with antibiotics.

8. Stomach ulcer

A stomach ulcer is a wound that form on the wall of the stomach, which can bleed and cause a blood taste in the mouth. Other common symptoms of a stomach ulcer include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and the presence of blood in the stool.

Learn more about what a stomach ulcer is and what can cause it.

What to do: It is essential to consult a gastroenterologist if a stomach ulcer is suspected so that testing can be ordered to confirm a diagnosis and guide treatment. Treatment for stomach ulcers involves the use of medications that reduce or inhibit stomach acidity, as well as analgesics and/or antibiotics, as well as changes in eating habits. In more serious cases, ulcer surgery may be recommended.

9. GERD

GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, is characterized by the back-flow of stomach contents up into the esophagus. It causes symptoms such as a burning sensation and heaviness in the stomach, heartburn, belching, a dry cough and a lump in the throat. Due to the increase in acid content in the stomach, it is also possible to have a change in taste, or a blood taste in the mouth.

What to do: It is important to consult a gastroenterologist for treatment and symptom relief. The doctor may recommend diet changes, like maintaining a GERD diet, and the use of medications that reduce the amount of acid.

10. Cancer treatment

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which are treatments indicated for the cases of cancer, can cause side effects such as inflammation in the mouth and changes to the functioning of the salivary glands. This can lead to oral bleeding and, consequently, a blood taste in the mouth. . Furthermore, as a result of these treatments, it is also possible to notice a general change in taste and nausea, which also contributes to the taste of blood in the mouth.

What to do: Blood taste in the mouth from cancer treatment is a temporary condition, and typically improves over time. However, if it is permanent, it is important to inform your doctor to assess the need for adjustments to treatment.