Metallic taste in mouth: causes and when it’s a dental problem

A metallic taste in your mouth usually has a minor cause: a medication, an iron or zinc supplement, a cold, pregnancy, or an infection in your gums or a tooth. When the cause is dental, the taste goes away once the infection is treated. If it lingers, or comes with other symptoms, see a doctor, because it’s sometimes a sign of something more serious.

Some people describe it as having a coin in their mouth. Here’s why it happens, when it starts in your mouth and a dentist can treat it, which medications and situations cause it, what you can do in the meantime, and when you should get checked without waiting.

Why do I have a metallic taste in my mouth?

A change in your sense of taste is called dysgeusia, and a metallic taste is one of its common forms. Cleveland Clinic explains that it can have many causes: smoking, an illness, a medication or poor oral hygiene. In a healthy person, if that taste is the only symptom, the cause is usually benign.

When a metallic taste is dental

These are the causes that start in your mouth:

• Inflamed or infected gums. Cleveland Clinic notes that not brushing and not cleaning between your teeth regularly leads to problems such as gingivitis, periodontitis or a tooth infection, which can cause a metallic taste. According to the same source, the taste usually goes away once the infection clears up.
• An abscess. The NHS, the UK’s public health service, lists a bad taste in the mouth among the symptoms of a dental abscess, along with pain, swelling and sensitivity to hot or cold.
• Gum disease. The NHS explains that it can cause bad breath and a bad taste in the mouth, as well as gums that bleed when you brush.
• Dentures that cover the palate. Cleveland Clinic lists dentures that cover the soft palate among the reasons food can taste different.

If your gums also bleed or feel swollen, or you have bad breath, that’s a clue the cause may be in your mouth.

At a periodontics checkup we look at your gums and, if there’s tartar, an oral cleaning, which costs €30, is the first step. If your main concern is your breath, you’ll find the causes and fixes in our article on solutions for bad breath.

Medications and supplements that cause a metallic taste

Cleveland Clinic explains that some medications cause a metallic taste because your body absorbs them and they then come out in your saliva. It lists these:

• antibiotics such as clarithromycin, metronidazole and tetracycline;
• blood pressure medications, such as captopril;
• lithium;
• medications that dry out your mouth, such as some antidepressants;
• multivitamins with metals such as chromium, copper or zinc, zinc lozenges for colds, prenatal vitamins, and iron or calcium supplements.

MedlinePlus, the website of the US National Library of Medicine, adds others, such as some thyroid or cancer medications. The taste normally goes away once your body clears the medication or vitamin. If it doesn’t, review the dose with your doctor; don’t stop a medication on your own.

Colds, sinus infections and COVID

Colds, sinus infections and other upper respiratory infections can change your sense of taste and leave a metallic taste, and Cleveland Clinic notes that it usually goes away once the infection clears up. With COVID-19 it can last longer: weeks or even months after you recover.

Metallic taste during pregnancy

Dysgeusia is common in pregnancy because of hormonal changes. According to Cleveland Clinic, it’s usually stronger in the first trimester and fades as the pregnancy progresses. Prenatal vitamins can also play a part.

Other, less common causes

• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy, especially for head and neck cancers.
• Dry mouth and acid reflux, which Cleveland Clinic lists among the causes of dysgeusia.
• Dementia and other neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis.
• Food allergies, such as to shellfish or nuts: a metallic taste can be an early warning sign of a severe allergic reaction.
• Exposure to toxins, such as insecticides, lead or mercury.
• Kidney or liver disease, undiagnosed diabetes or some cancers. Cleveland Clinic makes clear that these are uncommon causes and usually come with other symptoms.

When to see a doctor or a dentist

• Go to the emergency room right away: if the metallic taste appears after eating something you’re allergic to. Cleveland Clinic warns that it can be the first sign of anaphylaxis, an allergic reaction that can be fatal.
• See a doctor as soon as possible: if you’ve been exposed to insecticides, lead or mercury.
• See a dentist: if your gums bleed, or you have bad breath, a tooth that hurts or a lump on your gum.
• See your primary care doctor: if the taste lingers and you can’t find the cause. Cleveland Clinic stresses not just masking it, but getting checked to rule out an illness.

What to do in the meantime

These tips from Cleveland Clinic help you cope with it, but they don’t replace treating the cause:

• Brush twice a day and clean between your teeth daily.
• Drink water often to avoid dry mouth.
• Swap metal utensils and bottles for glass, plastic or ceramic ones.
• Before eating, rinse your mouth with lukewarm water and a pinch of baking soda.
• Quit smoking.
• Try sugar-free gum or candy, ice chips, or sour foods like citrus or pickles, which mask the taste.

If you think the cause may be in your gums or a tooth, the first visit and the quote are free.

Frequently asked questions