health

Remedies for the Bitter Mouth

Bitter mouth means the perception of an unpleasant taste. This feeling can be caused by special circumstances (drugs, food and drink, stress, menstrual cycle, menopause, pregnancy, etc.), incorrect habits (smoking, poor oral hygiene, etc.) or digestive disorders. Among the latter, some are considered pathological:

  • Diseases of the esophagus, stomach, duodenum and intestine.
  • Hepatic, biliary and pancreatic disorders.
  • Diseases or particular conditions of metabolism.
  • Infections of the oral cavity etc.

What to do

The choice of useful interventions for the bitter mouth depends above all on: frequency of the symptom, severity, causes and co-presence of other negative factors.

However, it is always advisable to seek medical attention for accurate diagnosis.

Furthermore, it is advisable:

  • Take care of the power supply:
    • Nutritional balance.
    • Digestibility.
    • Breakdown of meals.
    • Food selection.
  • Monitor any pathologies:
    • Metabolic.
    • Anatomical and functional digestive system.
  • Respect oral hygiene and treat infections:
    • Brush your teeth after all meals (waiting around 30-60 ').
    • Pass the dental floss.
    • Use mouthwash.
  • If possible, replace drug therapies.
  • Reduce the levels of nervous stress that can affect digestion or fasting stomach acid.
  • Practice physical activity and, if you like, relaxation techniques.

If the bitter mouth is caused by: menstrual cycle, menopause, pregnancy etc., it is advisable to wait for it to pass by itself and to put into practice the suggestions concerning lifestyle.

What NOT to do

  • Giving in to nervous stress and experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
  • To smoke.
  • Abusing alcohol.
  • Take medication for long periods; especially antibiotics.
  • Follow an excessive, unregulated and poorly distributed diet.
  • Fast or follow ketogenic diets.
  • Being overweight.
  • Neglecting metabolic and anatomo-functional pathological conditions such as:
    • Type 2 diabetes mellitus.
    • Esophagus and stomach disorders:
      • Hiatal hernia and gastroesophageal reflux.
      • Gastritis, peptic ulcer and stomach cancer.
    • Liver, gallbladder, pancreas and sometimes bowel disorders:
      • Hepatic distress or functional failure.
      • Biliary lithiasis.
      • Pancreatic distress or functional failure.
      • Intestinal malabsorption due to infection, enzyme deficiencies, incorrect diet, etc.
  • Neglecting hygiene and possible oral infections (for example, candida).

What to eat

Among the various causes that trigger the bitter mouth, nutrition often plays a fundamental role. The most important and always valid suggestions are:

  • Follow a normocaloric diet: it means "that provides the calories needed to support the body and does not cause an increase or weight loss". An excess of energy, and therefore of food, is closely related to poor digestion and a reflection of the onset of a bitter mouth.
  • Consume easily digestible foods: the choice of foods affects digestion and therefore on diseases of the digestive system. It is preferable to consume:
    • Cereals, potatoes and legumes seasoned simply or accompanied by light ingredients.
    • Fruit and vegetables in good quantities but do not overdo it, especially in structured meals.
    • Meat, fishery products, milk and lean derivatives.
  • Adopt low or medium intensity cooking techniques that reach the heart of the food. They are recommended: drowning, steam or pressure boiling, vasocottura, vacuum cooking, baked in foil and in a pan over low heat.
  • Share the total energy of the day in at least 5 meals. The most abundant is lunch. It is recommended to emphasize snacks to reduce the calorie intake of lunch but especially of dinner.
  • Share the calories according to the Mediterranean diet criteria (25-30% of lipids, about 1.2g of protein per kg of body weight, 10-16% of simple sugars and the rest complex carbohydrates).
  • Prefer low-glycemic foods by providing about 30g / day of fiber (not too many).
  • Promote the intake of digestive herbs.

What NOT to Eat

  • Excessive meals, especially in the evening hours.
  • High-fat meals: fried, fatty cheeses, etc.
  • Meals too rich in protein, especially in the evening hours: large portions of meat or fish (over 250g).
  • Meat and raw fish: carpaccio, tartare, etc.
  • Eggs, meats and overcooked fish: stew, braised meat, omelette etc.
  • Spirits, hot peppers, coffee and other beverages / foods rich in irritating molecules.
  • Preserved foods: cured meats, canned foods, etc.
  • Chocolate: reduces the continence of the sphincter between the esophagus and the stomach predisposing to reflux.
  • Savoury foods.
  • Garlic and onion, especially raw, in the evening hours.

Natural Cures and Remedies

They serve mainly to attenuate the perception of bitter taste and / or to favor the improvement of some liver and gallbladder disorders:

  • Dandelion decoction: promotes emptying of the gall bladder and promotes digestion.
  • Artichoke herbal tea: protects and improves liver function; favors the expulsion of bile.
  • Milk thistle extract: optimizes the repair of damaged liver cells.
  • Nettle infusion: promotes the expulsion of bile.
  • Chicory infusion: favors the expulsion of bile.

Pharmacological care

There is no specific pharmacological treatment for the bitter mouth.

Being a symptom, it only vanishes after the agent is resolved.

For example:

  • Drugs against stomach acid, pro-digestive and mucosal inflammation:
    • Antacids (aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide etc.).
    • Proton pump inhibitors (pantoprazole, lansoprazole, etc.).
    • Gastroprotectors (sucralfate, bismuth compounds, etc.).
  • Drugs that support liver function and bile fluidization / discharge:
    • Urodesoxycholic acid.
    • Terpenes.
    • Chenodeoxycholic acid.
    • Thiazide diuretics.
  • Medications to treat oral infections.
    • Antibiotics: for bacterial infections.
    • Antifungals: for fungal infections such as candida.
  • Antidepressants or anxiolytics (if the bitter mouth is of psychological origin).

Prevention

To prevent the bitter mouth it is necessary to guarantee:

  • Correct gastrointestinal functioning.
  • Avoid hiatal hernia and gastroesophageal reflux. It is necessary to maintain a normal weight.
  • Avoid the infectious complications of the oral cavity.
  • Avoid metabolic alterations, both pathological and consequent to a momentarily incorrect diet.
  • Eliminate alcohol and cigarettes.
  • Avoid fasting.
  • Practice physical activity and reduce mental stress with other methods.

Medical treatments

Also with regard to medical treatments, the solution for the bitter mouth can change depending on the causative agent.

For gallbladder stones, gastric or duodenal discomforts etc. the surgery may be useful.