4 Reasons Your Mouth Might Taste Bloody or Metallic
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If you’ve ever bumped your lip or bitten the inside of your cheek a little too hard, then you know that blood has a distinct metallic taste. That’s because it’s filled with red blood cells, which happen to contain a bunch of iron. But what about those seemingly random moments when you taste blood but can’t actually see it? Turns out, there are a number of reasons beyond face planting or chomping on a pointy potato chip that can leave you with a metallic taste in your mouth.
Some are definitely more common than others, but the good news is that most—if not all—of the culprits can be resolved with time or after checking in with a doctor who can guide you to the appropriate treatment (if you need any).
Here are four not-so-obvious reasons why you have a metallic taste in your mouth.
You might be fighting a respiratory infection.
You probably know that viruses and bacteria that infect your respiratory tract can clog your nose and scratch your throat. But (as you maybe already discovered during a bout of COVID) it’s “fairly common” for these microbes to cause an abnormal tastes in your mouth too, including those of the bloody or metallic variety, Heather Edwards, MD, an otolaryngologist at Boston Medical Center, tells SELF. In this case, you might realize it when munching on your favorite foods—suddenly your mac and cheese tastes like a bag of pennies.
Although it’s not entirely clear why this happens, Dr. Edwards says that some of these microbial invaders can damage the taste receptors that blanket your oral cavity, including your throat, nasal passages, and, of course, your tongue. They also have the power to temporarily affect the nerves that help you taste stuff in general. If you’re battling bacteria, this abnormal sensation typically resolves if you take some antibiotics, Dr. Edwards says. But after infections with viruses like SARS-CoV-2, that messed up taste in your mouth can stick around for some time. (And as a reminder, antibiotics are useless for viruses, so don’t bother asking your doctor for a prescription.)
A 2024 study found that dysgeusia (a broad term used to describe distorted taste) is a common symptom that persists for more than a year among people who develop long COVID, and more than 55% of them reported metallic taste.
You may be exercising a little too hard.
This one may come as a bit of a shock, but it’s true. You might taste blood in your mouth after really intense exercise, according to sports medicine physician James Robinson, MD, particularly during longer physical activities like marathons—and especially if you don’t normally push yourself so hard. The most likely theory behind this phenomenon? All that huffing and puffing while running, for example, irritates the delicate blood vessels lining your nasal passages, causing them to bleed ever so slightly. This blood then drains to the back of your throat or mouth, hence the metallic taste you experience, says Dr. Robinson, who works with the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. You’re more likely to have this happen if you are exercising in really dry, cold, or windy conditions; while you’re sick with an upper respiratory bug; or during an allergy flare-up, he adds.
It’s possible that low levels of fluid in your lungs—known as pulmonary edema—can also explain this phenomenon, at least in some cases. Basically, when your heart and lungs work really hard, fluid from your blood vessels can build in the tiny air sacs in your lungs and leak into your airway, Dr. Robinson says. This fluid contains a small amount of iron from your red blood cells, he adds, which can leave your mouth a little metallic-y. Pulmonary edema is typically associated with heart or lung problems, but in this case, it’s “not considered dangerous,” Dr. Robinson says—but it can be if it’s accompanied by chest pain or shortness of breath.
So see a doctor if any of this sounds like the norm for you, or if the occasional bloody taste in your mouth during exercise gets worse over time. Dr. Robinson says that the best way to avoid this issue is to slowly increase the intensity of your workouts, take breaks when you’re tired, hydrate yourself with water (or an electrolyte-based drink, if you’re exercising intensely for over an hour), and use a saline nasal spray to keep your nose moist and help minimize bleeding.
Something may be off with your oral health.
Your bloody or metallic taste could be (surprise, surprise!) a direct manifestation of something going on in your mouth, Thomas Sollecito, DMD, chair of the department of oral medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, tells SELF. In most cases, your gums are to blame. When plaque builds on your teeth, your gums become irritated and inflamed (known as gingivitis). This doesn’t always cause pain or other symptoms—perhaps except the occasional metallic taste in your mouth, Dr. Sollecito says. That’s because your swollen gums are actually releasing tiny bits of blood that aren’t totally noticeable because your saliva is constantly clearing it away. As gingivitis worsens, it can morph into periodontitis, a.k.a. severe gum disease, which will make the metallic taste more intense. The same idea is true of other oral health issues that can lead to bloody discharge, like tooth infections (although this may be more obvious from the get-go because it’ll likely cause other symptoms, like pain).
If you have a yeast infection in your mouth called oral thrush, that’s also a problem, Dr. Sollecito says. This happens when the fungus Candida, which is a normal microbe that lives in your mouth, overgrows and sometimes causes cottage-cheese-like patches to spring up on your tongue, inner cheeks, gums, tonsils, or roof of your mouth. However, this white, creamy material “doesn’t always have to be present,” he says; you might just develop a metallic taste in your mouth, along with a burning or tingling sensation. Anything that makes your mouth dry, like certain medications and dentures, or conditions that weaken your immune system can boost your chances of getting this unpleasant infection.
Your medications or vitamins may be to blame.
Over 350 drugs across all major medication categories—including antihistamines, diabetes meds, antidepressants, and chemotherapy, as well as some vitamin and mineral supplements—can leave a bad taste in your mouth. Sometimes a medicine itself is responsible, but in other cases, the chemicals in a drug activate bitter taste receptors in your mouth. Paxlovid, an antiviral used to treat COVID, is perhaps one of the best-known examples of this, so much so that this gross aftertaste has a name: Paxlovid mouth. And it’s not just oral meds. Drugs, vitamins, and minerals administered via IV—including lidocaine, iron, and B vitamins—can leave a metallic taste in your mouth within seconds to minutes. Generally, you’re more likely to experience this if you’re older or taking several meds at once, research shows.
These weird aftertastes should disappear once your body processes the drugs you took, but don’t worry, there are things you can do in the meantime to help save your taste buds. For a quick fix, try chewing on ice or gum. But if you need to take your meds for a while (or even forever), try adding flavorful foods to your diet and frequently switching up what you eat to distract your taste buds from anything bitter. Another helpful tip: Take the time to really chew your food, which will help release all of the flavor molecules in your mouth.
Ultimately, remember that the best way to get rid of this metallic taste is to treat the root of the problem, so keep your doc in the loop, even if you think something relatively harmless is behind it.
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Originally Appeared on Self
