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Bad Taste in Your Mouth: Metallic, Bitter, Salty and Other Tastes

A bad, metallic, bitter or salty taste in your mouth is common and usually not serious. Here are the causes the health bodies describe, what helps, and when to see a dentist, pharmacist or doctor.

Updated September 2026·By the OHA editorial team·8 min read·How we write
Key takeaways
  • A bad or metallic taste is usually not serious. The NHS says what gets rid of it depends on the cause, and it sometimes goes away by itself.
  • Causes in the mouth include gum disease, a dental abscess, oral thrush, a dry mouth and not cleaning your teeth well enough.
  • Causes elsewhere include some medicines, colds and sinus infections, indigestion and reflux, pregnancy and cancer treatment.
  • If you think a medicine is the cause, speak to a pharmacist or doctor. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.
  • See a dentist if you also have gum, tooth or denture problems, and a GP if the taste does not go away or has no obvious cause.

The NHS says a metallic taste is not usually serious. The US National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) describes two kinds of taste problem that fit what most people mean by a "bad taste": a lingering, often unpleasant taste when there is nothing in your mouth, which it says is the most common taste disorder, and dysgeusia, where a foul, salty, rancid or metallic taste stays in the mouth.

Taste and smell work closely together. NIDCD says flavour comes from taste combined with a food's smell, and that most people who see a doctor thinking they have lost their sense of taste turn out to have a problem with their sense of smell instead. The NHS says a lost or changed sense of smell can sometimes cause a metallic taste.

What can cause a bad taste in your mouth?

The causes below are those the health bodies list.

Problems in the mouth

  • Gum disease. The NHS says gum disease can lead to bad breath and a bad taste in your mouth, and lists it as a common cause of a metallic taste. healthdirect Australia says you might notice a bad taste with swollen gums. See gum disease and swollen gums.
  • Not cleaning your teeth well enough. NIDCD lists poor oral hygiene and dental problems among the causes of taste problems, and NIH MedlinePlus Magazine adds mouth pain and problems with dentures.
  • A dental abscess, a build-up of pus from an infection in a tooth or the gum. The NHS and healthdirect both list a bad taste in your mouth as a symptom. See dental abscess.
  • Oral thrush, a fungal infection of the mouth. The NHS lists an unpleasant taste and not tasting things properly among its symptoms. See oral thrush.
  • After a tooth is taken out. NIDCD lists removal of a wisdom tooth among the causes of taste problems. healthdirect lists an unpleasant taste among the symptoms of dry socket, a painful complication after an extraction. See dry socket.

A dry mouth

Saliva matters for taste. MedlinePlus lists a dry mouth among the causes of taste problems, and the American Dental Association says a significant loss of saliva is linked with an altered sense of taste. The Better Health Channel (Victoria) explains that taste buds can only detect flavour when food is properly mixed with saliva. See dry mouth.

Medicines

The NHS names metronidazole and zopiclone as examples that can cause a metallic taste. The Better Health Channel lists tetracycline (an antibiotic), lithium and captopril (a blood pressure medicine). MedlinePlus lists others, including clarithromycin, some thyroid medicines and some cancer medicines, and NIDCD says some common antibiotics and antihistamines can cause taste problems. See medicines that affect your mouth.

Colds, flu and sinus infections

The NHS lists colds, sinus infections and other airway problems as common causes of a metallic taste (see sinus and tooth pain), and says loss of taste and smell is a symptom of a cold. MedlinePlus adds flu and other viral infections, sinusitis, nasal polyps (soft growths inside the nose) and throat infections, and NIH MedlinePlus Magazine includes COVID-19. NIDCD explains that when your nose is blocked, the smells released as you chew cannot reach your nose, so food tastes bland.

Indigestion and acid reflux

The NHS says acid reflux, where stomach acid travels up towards the throat, can cause an unpleasant sour taste in your mouth, and lists indigestion as a common cause of a metallic taste. Stomach acid can also wear away your teeth: see acid reflux, vomiting and your teeth.

Pregnancy

The NHS lists a metallic taste among the early signs of pregnancy, and says the taste is usually temporary and clears up by itself. The Better Health Channel describes a sour or metallic taste that persists even when you are not eating. See pregnancy and oral health.

Cancer treatment

The NHS lists chemotherapy and radiotherapy as common causes of a metallic taste, and NIDCD lists radiotherapy for head and neck cancers. See cancer treatment and your mouth.

Smoking

MedlinePlus lists heavy smoking, especially of pipes or cigars, among the causes of taste problems, and advises stopping. See smoking, vaping and oral health.

Other conditions

The sources also list:

  • Burning mouth syndrome, a long-lasting burning, scalding or tingling feeling in the mouth. The US National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) says it can come with a dry mouth or an altered taste, such as a metallic taste.
  • Sjögren's syndrome, a condition in which the immune system attacks the glands that make saliva. The Better Health Channel says the reduced saliva reduces the sense of taste. See Sjögren's syndrome.
  • Low levels of vitamin B12 or zinc, a head injury, or surgery on the ear, nose or throat (MedlinePlus, NIDCD).
  • Bell's palsy, which the Better Health Channel says can stop the facial nerve working properly and so affect taste.

What helps?

The NHS says what you can do depends on what is causing the taste. Its advice for each cause is:

  • Gum disease: brush your teeth regularly, use floss and have regular dental check-ups. NIDCD says good oral hygiene is important for getting back, and keeping, a normal sense of taste. See how to brush your teeth and cleaning between your teeth.
  • Medicines: speak to a pharmacist for advice, and do not stop a prescribed medicine without medical advice. MedlinePlus says your doctor may change the dose or switch you to a different medicine.
  • Colds and airway problems: the taste should go away once the problem clears up. MedlinePlus says normal taste should return when a cold or flu passes.
  • Indigestion: the taste should go away once the indigestion is treated.
  • Pregnancy: the taste is usually temporary and clears up by itself.
  • Chemotherapy or radiotherapy: eat stronger-tasting food, such as ginger and spices, and suck boiled sweets.

If your mouth is dry, the NHS suggests sipping water through the day and chewing sugar-free gum. There is more in our dry mouth guide.

If food tastes of less than it used to, NIDCD suggests adding flavour with herbs and spices rather than extra sugar or salt.

Who should you see?

If you also have gum or tooth problems, start with a dentist. If you think a medicine is the cause, the NHS suggests a pharmacist. For a taste that does not go away, see a GP. MedlinePlus says your doctor may ask how long it has lasted, what medicines you take, whether you smoke and whether you have recently changed toothpaste or mouthwash.

NIDCD says taste disorders are diagnosed by an otolaryngologist, also called an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor, and that a full check includes a dental examination.

When to see a dentist, pharmacist or doctor
  • See a dentist if the taste comes with bleeding, swollen or sore gums, toothache, a loose tooth or problems with your dentures.
  • Speak to a pharmacist or doctor if you think a medicine is causing it (NHS). Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.
  • See a GP if the taste does not go away or has no obvious cause (NHS), or comes with other symptoms (MedlinePlus).
  • See a GP if you have a dry mouth and problems with your sense of taste that are not going away (NHS).
Get help urgently
  • A bad taste with intense toothache, a swollen face or jaw, or a high temperature can be a sign of a dental abscess. The NHS says to ask for an urgent dentist appointment or get help from NHS 111. healthdirect Australia says to see your dentist or doctor straight away.
  • The NHS says to call 999 or go to A&E if you are finding it hard to breathe, speak, swallow or open your mouth, have a lot of swelling in your mouth, or have a swollen or painful eye.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my mouth taste like metal?

Common causes the NHS lists are gum disease, some medicines, cancer treatment, colds and sinus infections, indigestion and pregnancy. It says a metallic taste is not usually serious and sometimes goes away by itself. See a GP if it does not go away or there is no obvious cause.

Why can't I taste food properly when I have a cold?

MedlinePlus says much of what we think of as taste is actually smell, and NIDCD explains that when your nose is blocked, the smells from your food cannot reach it, so food tastes bland. MedlinePlus says normal taste should return when the illness passes.

Is a bad taste a sign of something serious?

Usually not. But it can come with a dental problem such as gum disease or an abscess that needs treating, so see a dentist if you have other mouth symptoms, and a GP if the taste does not go away.

Sources

  1. Metallic taste, NHS, accessed September 2026
  2. Gum disease, NHS, accessed September 2026
  3. Dental abscess, NHS, accessed September 2026
  4. Oral thrush (mouth thrush), NHS, accessed September 2026
  5. Dry mouth, NHS, accessed September 2026
  6. Heartburn and acid reflux, NHS, accessed September 2026
  7. Common cold, NHS, accessed September 2026
  8. Signs and symptoms that might mean you're pregnant, NHS, accessed September 2026
  9. Tooth abscess, healthdirect Australia, accessed September 2026
  10. Swollen gums, healthdirect Australia, accessed September 2026
  11. Dry socket, healthdirect Australia, accessed September 2026
  12. Tongue, Better Health Channel (Victoria), accessed September 2026
  13. Pregnancy: signs and symptoms, Better Health Channel (Victoria), accessed September 2026
  14. Taste disorders, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIH), accessed September 2026
  15. Taste: impaired, MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (US National Library of Medicine), accessed September 2026
  16. How do we taste, and why does it go wrong?, NIH MedlinePlus Magazine, accessed September 2026
  17. Burning mouth syndrome, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIH), accessed September 2026
  18. Xerostomia (dry mouth), American Dental Association, accessed September 2026

This article is general information about oral health. It is not a diagnosis or a substitute for advice from a dentist or doctor who knows your situation. If you have pain, swelling, bleeding that does not settle, or a problem that is getting worse, see a dental professional. In an emergency, contact your local emergency service.

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