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Home » Blog » Nausea and Metallic Taste in Mouth

Nausea and Metallic Taste in Mouth

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Waking up with a queasy, uneasy feeling in your stomach is unpleasant enough. But when it’s paired with a bitter, acidic metallic taste lingering in your mouth, it becomes downright miserable.
If you find yourself frequently experiencing simultaneous nausea and metal mouth, you’re not alone. Let’s look at some potential causes and effective remedies to help tame the nausea while restoring normal taste.

Why Nausea and Metallic Taste Happen Together

That coinciding queasy sensation and metal flavor typically stem from one of these common culprits:

GERD and Acid Reflux

GERD causes stomach acid to rise up into your esophagus. This reflux introduces acidic gastric juices into the mouth, which can taste metallic or sour while irritating the stomach. Acid reflux tends to worsen when lying down soon after eating.

Medications

Various prescription or over-the-counter medications can alter your sense of taste. Metallic flavors are a relatively common side effect of several drug classes. These include antibiotics, antifungals, antidepressants, anti-inflammatories, antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, and more.

Infections

Infections like colds, flu, sinusitis, or COVID-19 can also elicit metallic tastes. Congestion and post-nasal drip end up dripping down the throat, where the mucus alters taste buds and potentially irritates the stomach.

Oral Hygiene Issues

Poor dental hygiene often correlates with a constant bad or metallic taste in the mouth. Cavities, gingivitis, periodontitis, and tongue coating are examples. Bacteria accumulate in your mouth when you don’t brush and floss regularly.

Neurological Causes

Rarely, people with epilepsy, tumors, or damage in parts of the brain affecting taste perception may simultaneously experience nausea and a metal mouth. If it happens frequently, tell your doctor, since it could point to an underlying neurological condition.

Finding Relief from Metallic Mouth and Queasiness

While identifying and treating the root cause is ideal, you can also use these handy tips to help override and mask the unpleasant metal flavor while calming your queasy stomach:

  • Hydrate with water – Drinking more water dilutes metallic tastes and prevents dehydration from nausea or vomiting.
  • Gargle saltwater – Try  home remedies like gum, mints, gargling with warm salty water soothes tissues irritated by stomach acid reflux.
  • Suck on mints, lemon drops, or chew gum – Strong mints, sours, and chewing mint gum all help freshen your palate.
  • Brush teeth, gums, tongue – Gently brushing oral tissues helps dislodge bacteria, acid, and particles rinsing down from post-nasal drips.
  • Rinse with Metaqil – Use an oral rinse like Metaqil to coat the mouth and neutralize metal tastes
  • Eat mild, bland foods – Bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast are gentle on queasy stomachs.
  • Avoid dietary triggers – Cut back on iron-rich foods, dairy, alcohol, or medications that seem to precede metal mouth.
  • Take antacids – Over-the-counter antacids like Tums, Rolaids, or Mylanta may neutralize refluxed stomach acid pooling in the mouth.
  • Sleep propped up – For nighttime reflux, use pillows to keep your head elevated during sleep.
  • Lozenges for colds or allergies – Sucking on throat lozenges can clear post-nasal dripping while soothing nausea.

See your doctor if nausea and metal mouth persist for over 2 weeks or interfere with eating and drinking. Unexplained weight loss, vomiting blood or coffee grounds, fevers, headache, or other concerning symptoms also warrant medical evaluation. But in most cases, the metallic flavor and queasiness will fade as the underlying cause resolves.

When to Worry About Nausea and Metallic Taste

While having nausea accompanied by a metal mouth is often harmless, at times it may signal something more serious. Seek prompt medical care for nausea and metallic tastes if you have:

  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Severe pain or abdominal swelling
  • Vomiting blood or material resembling coffee grounds
  • Difficulty swallowing liquids or solids
  • Fever higher than 101°F (38°C)
  • Severe headache or neck pain
  • Vision changes, weakness, dizziness, or confusion
  • Persistent symptoms lasting over 2 weeks

Getting the right diagnosis and treatment can help resolve chronic nausea and metal mouth while also addressing any underlying medical issue. Don’t hesitate to get medical care if your symptoms are severe or persistent.
Nausea and metallic taste often happen concurrently due to infections, reflux, medications, neurologic diseases, or poor oral hygiene. While not usually dangerous, chronic symptoms should get evaluated. Metaqil rinses, oral care, dietary tweaks, hydration, and antacids can help manage temporary metal mouth and nausea until the cause resolves.

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Jennifer Flanders
25+ years in Sales & Marketing, skilled in layouts, logos, and social content. Jeep enthusiast, nature explorer, committed to community impact.

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