Table of contents:
- What are the causes of a salty tongue?
- 1. Dry mouth
- 2. Dehydration
- 3. Bleeding gums
- 4. Oral infections
- 5. Post-nasal drip
- 6. Gastric acid reflux
- 7. Lack of nutrition
- 8. Sjogren's Syndrome
After eating salty foods, your tongue will usually taste salty for a while because there are still salt left in your mouth. However, if this happens long enough, whether it's when you wake up or even when you're not eating salty foods, this could be a sign of a health problem. Before going to the doctor, let's first find out what causes the following salty tongue.
What are the causes of a salty tongue?
Experiencing a salty tongue does make the sensation in the mouth unpleasant. Even though you have eaten sweet foods or any food to neutralize the taste on the tongue, these disorders sometimes remain and don't go away.
The following are various causes of a salty tongue that you may experience, including:
1. Dry mouth
People who experience dry mouth will feel as if they have cotton balls in their mouth that taste salty. This oral disorder is often experienced by active smokers or a side effect of certain drugs.
A salty tongue due to dry mouth is usually followed by other symptoms, namely:
- Sticky sensation in mouth
- Bad breath
- Sore throat
- Hoarseness
The salty tongue problem due to dry mouth can actually be treated easily. Make sure you are hydrated by at least eight glasses per day and avoid salty foods for a while. You can also relieve symptoms by chewing unsweetened gum to induce saliva production. That way, the mouth will feel moist and reduce the sensation of a salty tongue.
2. Dehydration
Dehydration is one of the causes of a salty tongue and dry mouth. When the body lacks fluids, the salt and water levels in the body become imbalanced, causing saliva to taste saltier. These symptoms of dehydration are usually followed by:
- Excessive thirst
- Urinating less frequently
- Urine color tends to be dark or cloudy
- Fatigue
- Dizzy
The best way to deal with dehydration is of course drinking more water at least eight glasses per day. If your activities tend to be heavy or you are sick, you can increase the “portion” of water as needed.
3. Bleeding gums
The sensation of a salty tongue or a metallic taste in your mouth can be a sign that you have bleeding gums. This generally occurs after you eat sharp foods such as chips or brush your teeth too hard, causing your gums to bleed.
4. Oral infections
Bleeding gums that are not treated promptly can lead to an infection known as periodontitis. The symptoms of periodontitis include:
- Salty tongue
- Bad breath
- Teeth fall out
- Abscess on the gums
- Pus appears on the teeth
This mouth infection is actually not dangerous as long as you take quick steps to treat it. On the other hand, an infection that is allowed to get worse can damage teeth and lead to complications of gum disease.
5. Post-nasal drip
Post-nasal drip occurs when too much mucus is produced, causing a sensation of swallowing mucus in the back of the throat. When mucus mixes with saliva in the mouth, this is what causes a salty taste on the tongue. You will also experience congestion, runny nose, and difficulty breathing because of it.
To treat a salty tongue due to post-nasal drip, immediately drink plenty of water and take cold medicine that contains antihistamines. You can also use a nasal spray to treat congestion caused by post-nasal drip. If the symptoms do not go away, consult a doctor for further treatment.
6. Gastric acid reflux
Apart from causing the stomach to feel sore, rising stomach acid can also cause the tongue to taste salty. However, not all cases of salty tongue will lead directly to acid reflux. This is usually followed by:
- Severe pain in the gut
- The chest feels hot
- Nausea
- Gag
- Keep coughing
- Hoarseness
- Weight loss drastically
If not treated immediately, increased stomach acid can lead to complications of diseases such as GERD, Barrett's esophagus or pre-cancerous conditions in the esophagus, to throat cancer. Therefore, immediately change your lifestyle to be healthier, take ulcer medication, or certain surgeries to treat this disease.
7. Lack of nutrition
If your tongue suddenly feels salty, you may be experiencing severe malnutrition. Typically, your face will appear pale, your heart palpitations, fatigue, and worst of all numbness in your feet and hands.
Actually, this can be overcome by meeting certain nutritional needs that cause you to be malnourished. For example, if you are deficient in vitamin B12, it is recommended that you eat more tofu, tempeh, eggs, shitake mushrooms, seaweed, and various other sources of vitamin B12.
Likewise, if you experience a vitamin C deficiency, overcome it by eating more oranges, guava, chilies, strawberries, and other sources of vitamin C.
8. Sjogren's Syndrome
Sjogren's syndrome occurs when your body's immune system attacks all of the fluid-producing glands, including the salivary glands and tear glands. As a result, saliva production is inhibited and causes the mouth to taste salty and dry eyes.
This condition does not come alone, because it is usually followed by other autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatism, to multiple sclerosis. Besides being able to be overcome by drinking lots of water, the doctor may prescribe certain drugs to reduce symptoms.
