Metallic Taste & Nausea

There are a variety of conditions that can cause you to have a metallic taste in your mouth. From any number of medical conditions to the side effects of certain medications, a metallic taste can be relatively common. In many cases, this metallic taste is accompanied by nausea, as well.

Figuring out what is causing your metallic taste can be difficult, as there are so many different possible causes. Here are some common causes that can create a metallic taste and nausea:

– Influenza (the flu)

– The common cold

– Strep throat

– A deficiency of zinc or other minerals

– A deficiency of vitamin B-12 or other vitamins

– A dry mouth

– Heavy smoking that causes the mouth to be dry (especially smoking of a pipe)

– An infection of the nasal passages, sinusitis, or even nasal polyps

– Infection of the salivary glands

– Aging (our taste buds decrease as we get older)

– An injury to the head, nose, or mouth

– gum disease (gingivitis)

– Bell’s palsy

– Sjogren’s syndrome

– a variety of drugs, such as antithyroid drugs, lithium, procdarbazine, vincristine, captopril, griseofulvin, penicillamine, vineblastine, or rifampin

– A fungal infection in the mouth or elsewhere

– Excessive intake of copper, which can occur from water sitting in copper pipes for too long

– Exposure to brass and steel on the job, particularly for welders

– Dental or orthodontic appliances that may or may not be made of metal

– A leak in a filling (generally the older style amalgam fillings)

– Bleeding of the gums or the mouth

– Food allergies (exposure to small amounts of a food you are allergic to.)

– Changing levels of estrogen in pregnant women (estrogen is, in part, responsible for regulating taste)

If the metallic taste in your mouth is persistent, or if it is accompanied by severe or prolonged nausea and/or vomiting, you should contact your health care provider. She may be able to help you determine what is causing the metallic taste and nausea, and to determine what the best treatment for the condition might be.