Table of contents:
- Various causes of the taste of soap in the mouth
- 1. Contaminated food and drink
- 2. Certain foods make your mouth taste soapy
- 3. Problems with teeth and mouth
- 4. Certain drugs
- 5. Stroke or brain injury
- 6. Fluoride overdose
Some people may have experienced a soapy mouth. Especially if the sensation appears when you are not eating anything, of course it is quite disturbing. Although it generally goes away on its own, it seems that the appearance of a soapy taste in the mouth can be caused by certain health problems.
Various causes of the taste of soap in the mouth
Here are some things that make you feel a soap-like sensation in your mouth, namely:
1. Contaminated food and drink
Sometimes the taste of the soap you taste in your mouth really comes from the soap itself. This can happen because the washing process is not clean enough.
For example, you wash the vegetables with soap, but don't rinse them clean. As a result, the taste of soap which is much stronger than the taste of vegetables is left behind.
The same is the case with washing dishes, glasses and other cutlery. When it is not clean and you want to use it again, the soap that is still on it will easily get mixed up.
In fact, this can happen if you process food by hand after washing the dishes. Any leftover soap on your hands that hasn't been rinsed off will easily mix into the food you're making.
2. Certain foods make your mouth taste soapy
There are certain types of food that can taste like soap in your mouth. Carrots and coriander are the foods that most often cause a strange taste sensation in the mouth. Carrots have compounds called terpenoids. As a result, the taste of soap in the mouth often appears after someone eats it.
While coriander makes the mouth taste like soap because there is a genetic response that affects the brain to process odors. Quoted from Medical News Today, a variant in the OR6A2 gene makes some foods, especially coriander, taste like soap.
3. Problems with teeth and mouth
Usually, diseases of the teeth and mouth including the gums cause a soapy or metallic taste in the mouth. If this comes along with problems such as toothache, swollen gums, and bad breath, you need to get it checked by a doctor.
Apart from various oral and dental problems, a soapy mouth can also occur if you rarely brush your teeth and clean them. The reason is, food leftovers that are left in the mouth for a long time can cause a strange taste sensation, including like soap.
4. Certain drugs
Certain types of drugs leave a soapy taste in the mouth. For that, try to pay attention to whether the sensation appears after you take the medicine? If so, this is a sign that the medicine you were taking just now is the cause. One drug that makes your mouth taste soapy is televancin.
This one drug is included in the antibiotic class to treat bacterial pneumonia, skin infections, and Staphylococcus bacterial infections. While taking this medicine, during that time you will feel soap in your mouth. You can get rid of the sensation for a while by eating sweet or sour foods as an antidote.
5. Stroke or brain injury
People who have had a stroke or brain injury often experience problems with their sense of taste. The reason is, the brain is a very important part of the body in processing information, including the matter of taste sent by nerve cells on the tongue.
If the brain can't process or understand signals properly, the taste of food can change. That is why, people with brain damage may feel the sensation of a soapy taste in the mouth.
This condition can be temporary or long term. If this affects your appetite, immediately consult a doctor to find a solution.
6. Fluoride overdose
Sodium fluoride is one of the ingredients found in toothpaste. Flouride helps prevent tooth decay and rebuilds enamel as a protective tooth. In addition, fluoride is also widely used for drinking water needs.
Under normal conditions, this one chemical is safe to use. Unfortunately, if used excessively this can be dangerous. Fluoride overdose can cause various symptoms, one of which is a soapy taste in the mouth. In addition, this condition can also cause vomiting, diarrhea, and skin irritation.