No matter how fervently you brush and floss your teeth, you probably have experienced a bad, sour taste in your mouth at some point in your life. Brushing your teeth or rinsing your mouth helps get rid of the bad taste, but in some cases, the sour taste in the mouth lingers for days due to an underlying problem. Whatever the cause of a sour mouth, it can reduce your appetite, which potentially results in nutritional deficiencies and other problems.
If you have a constant sour taste in your mouth, contact a trusted dentist in Sarnia to determine its cause. Also, do not hesitate to tell your dentist about any changes in your appetite.
In this post, you will discover the different common causes of a sour taste in your mouth and tips on keeping your mouth healthy and fresh.
Causes of Sour Taste in the Mouth
People who have a persistent sour taste in their mouths can tell you how unpleasant the experience is. This oral problem may be a result of an unwanted dental condition that requires proper treatment.
- Poor Dental Hygiene and Oral Problems
How well you take care of your dental health is a common factor that may have contributed to the problem. Bad oral health habits, such as not brushing and flossing your teeth regularly can trigger gingivitis, which triggers a bad taste in your mouth. Additionally, poor dental hygiene can cause various dental issues, such as infections, abscesses, and even the coming out of the wisdom tooth can cause sourness in your mouth. Other dental problems include:
- Bad breath or halitosis
- Sensitive teeth
- Loose teeth
- Swollen, red, bleeding gums
- Dry Mouth
A dry mouth, also referred to as xerostomia, is a dental condition characterized by low production of saliva in the mouth. It results in a dry, sticky feeling.
Saliva helps control the growth of harmful bacteria by neutralizing the acid and removing small bits of food in the mouth. When the salivary glands fail to produce enough saliva, it can make your mouth taste bad due to the extra bacteria and leftover food.
Here are some of the factors that can trigger a dry mouth:
- over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications
- ageing
- stuffy nose causing mouth breathing
- nerve damage
- tobacco use
- autoimmune conditions
- diabetes
If you are experiencing a dry mouth, visit a family dental clinic in Sarnia for a checkup and treatment. Luckily, healthy lifestyle changes, medication adjustments, and prescription or over-the-counter mouth rinses can relieve the symptoms of dry mouth.
- Infection or Illness
Getting sick with a cold or sinus infection can affect your taste buds. After you recuperate, the sour taste goes away too. To reduce your risk of catching a cold, wash your hand frequently and keep your body warm, especially during the rainy or cold season. Avoid touching your face, particularly the mouth, nose, and eyes, and stay away from others who are sick.
- Medication
In some cases, the unpleasant taste in your mouth has nothing to do with an infection or illness. Certain medications and oral supplements can leave a sour taste in your mouth. Some of the ingredients used can cause the taste in your mouth to turn sour. The chemical or natural ingredients used in pills, vitamins, and other capsules can be a factor.
- Advancing Age
Your taste buds will diminish as you grow older, leading to a sour mouth. While it is impossible to prevent the aging process, dental health professionals can help seniors control the sour taste in their mouths.
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
GERD or gastroesophageal reflux is a health condition that leads to a sour-tasting mouth. GERD occurs when the muscles of the oesophagus and stomach fail to open and close properly. It causes the stomach acid to travel back into the throat and mouth, leaving a sour taste and a rank smell. To manage GERD properly, eat in small amounts and make sure to elevate your head when you go to bed to prevent the regurgitation of the gastric acid.
- Stress and Anxiety
When the body responds to stress, it triggers a sour taste in your mouth. Dehydration is a common problem in people under high stress or anxiety. To reduce the likelihood of having a sour-tasting mouth, make sure to find ways that will help relieve the level of stress and anxiety in your body.
- Oral Thrush
Thrush is a form of yeast infection that thrives in warm, moist places, such as your mouth. Oral thrush is a common dental problem, but older adults, babies, and those with weakened immune systems have a higher risk of contracting it.
Practicing Good Oral Care
It is no secret that the solution to a sour-tasting mouth depends on its underlying cause. However, let us start off by looking into our dental health care practices that can effectively neutralize the pH level in our mouth and get rid of harmful bacteria.
- Regular Brushing and Flossing
Brushing and flossing your teeth regularly is the foundation of a good dental care routine. People with GERD should consult their dentist for toothpaste recommendations to protect their teeth and avoid further enamel erosion caused by an acidic mouth.
- Use of Antibacterial Mouth Rinses
Mouth rinses help eliminate bad bacteria that cause bad breath. While most standard mouthwashes simply work by masking the unpleasant odour with a minty scent, dentists can recommend therapeutic mouthwashes that effectively kill harmful bacteria and improve the taste in your mouth. Therapeutic antibacterial oral rinses address the source of the problem rather than just masking it.
- Tongue Scraping
The back of your tongue is among the most common sources of bacteria in the mouth and the most sensitive part to bitterness and sourness. Dentists recommend using tongue scrapers along with proper brushing and flossing.
While there are plenty of factors that make your mouth taste sour, getting in touch with your dentist in Sarnia helps resolve the problem. Visit Lambton Family Dental in Sarnia for a thorough dental checkup to determine the root cause of the problem and to move forward with the right treatment options. Call us today at 519-344-5747 to book an appointment or fill out our contact form to send us your message or queries.