Why are lips salty? What disease is this? Causes and consequences of salty lips

Is it normal to taste salt on your lips?

Patients often ask specialists a similar question. It is worth noting that there is no definite answer to this; it all depends on specific cases. However, it is known for sure that a rare short-term sensation is not a dangerous sign .

But there are cases when a person feels this for a long time, which greatly interferes with his enjoyment of food, constantly makes him thirsty, and also makes him more irritable. Then, of course, you need to consult a specialist, because this may be a symptom of serious disturbances in the functioning of the body.

Why are your lips salty?

Fortunately, such a phenomenon is not always a harbinger of any disease. If a person tastes salt, first he should make sure whether this is due to external factors.

1. The simplest and most common cause of salinity is crying . At this time, tears enter the oral cavity through the nasopharynx, leaving behind an unpleasant sensation;
2. Damage is also one of the most common options. When lips are chapped or bitten, a person feels blood particles forming in the cracks. It is this that contributes to the feeling of saltiness;
3. Pregnancy . Women carrying a child quite often experience a phenomenon called dysgeusgia, which is accompanied by a disturbance in the perception of tastes;
4. Dehydration of the body. When the human body does not receive enough moisture, it tries with all its might to show it. One of the signs is a salty taste in the mouth. It is worth remembering that a person needs to drink at least a liter or one and a half water per day. In this case, we are talking exclusively about clean water, since frequent consumption of tea, coffee, juices and carbonated drinks has a negative impact on the body and does not bring it the required amount of moisture;
5. Salinity in the oral cavity is one of the indicators of poor hygiene . If a person does not provide sufficient care to his teeth, plaque begins to accumulate on them, which has a specific taste. To get rid of this, you need to pay more attention to hygiene. So, it is imperative to brush your teeth twice a day. The first is in the morning, before breakfast, and the second is in the evening, after dinner or before bed. After eating, you should use dental floss to remove any remaining food from the space between your teeth. In addition, it is important to remember that plaque remains not only on the teeth, but also on the surface of the tongue and the inside of the cheeks. It also needs to be removed using a special surface on a toothbrush;
6. Salty lips can also be a side effect of taking certain medications . Most often, these are antibiotics that contain substances that act on receptors. This impact causes disturbances in his perception. To get rid of this effect, you should ask your doctor to prescribe a different medicine, except when taking anti-cancer drugs;

Reason No. 3: abuse of salty foods

Why are your lips salty and your mouth taste like salt? The most common reason is that you ate salty food. Remember that salt in large quantities is harmful to the body, it negatively affects the cardiovascular system, kidneys and liver, stomach, retains fluid in the tissues, and at the same time contributes to poor absorption of calcium, which is so beneficial for our teeth and bones. Salt accelerates the aging of the body and impairs the functioning of blood vessels.

As an alternative to this product, scientists advise adding healthy and safe natural substitutes to your food - celery, herbs and seasonings, garlic, dried seaweed. To preserve the salts found in natural foods, it is recommended to steam them rather than fry or boil them.

Excessive salt intake can leave a taste on the lips and tongue

A scientist from Maine actually proposed an alternative way to salt food - special cutlery that, touching the tongue, produces impulses. Thanks to this, a person has the feeling that he has eaten rich food. Scientists at the University of Tokyo have also developed a three-mode electric plug that can imitate the taste of salt.

Salt on lips: reason

Unfortunately, it is not always so easy to understand why saltiness appears in the mouth. And it is not always as easy to get rid of it as in previous cases. Sometimes this feeling is a kind of cry from the body, which warns its owner about some serious illness.

• cold . Sometimes saltiness in the mouth simply means that a person has caught a viral disease or simply has a cold. Therefore, salt in the mouth is caused by a common runny nose. However, this problem should not be left unattended, and it is advisable to visit an otolaryngologist for appropriate treatment and to exclude other, more unfavorable options;
• salivary glands . It is their pathology that this sensation perhaps indicates. Salivary fluid is designed to cleanse the oral cavity of food particles and harmful microorganisms. However, if the functioning of the salivary glands is disrupted, an unpleasant effect of changing the taste in the mouth is observed. If this problem is left unattended, it can lead to serious consequences;
• Brain activity . Its violation also causes a similar effect. With various pathologies, such as tumors or epilepsy, the taste of the oral mucosa may change. But, fortunately, this phenomenon is quite rarely associated with brain disorders , especially if salinity is the only symptom.

Reason #7: dysfunction of the salivary glands

A specific taste of salt appears in the mouth as a result of the development of various diseases that damage the functionality of the salivary glands:

• Sjögren's syndrome: is an autoimmune systemic disorder of connective tissue. The disease mainly affects the lacrimal and salivary glands. The pathology can develop against the background of rheumatoid arthritis or lupus erythematosus,
• xerostomia: a condition characterized by dry mouth, which explains the presence of a salty taste in the mouth. This pathology can develop in those who take antihistamines or antidepressants, suffer from hypertension and diabetes. The disease also occurs in people who have undergone radiation therapy in the head and neck area. However, according to some studies, xerostomia most often occurs in older people. Between 10 and 60% of older people worldwide suffer from dry mouth. Moreover, the disease most often affects women 1 .

The culprit may be salivary stone disease, which is caused by blockage of the salivary glands. You can read about it in more detail in a separate article on the website, specially prepared by journalists from the portal’s editorial office.

Dry mouth causes a specific taste

The salty taste that occurs against the background of xerostomia is not dangerous in itself. But the diseases that caused it are dangerous, as well as the unpleasant consequences of dry mucous membranes. The fact is that saliva is a protector of the oral cavity from bacterial attack. Saliva also washes away food particles and helps us soften food.

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But if there is not enough of it, then difficulties with swallowing food and stomach problems inevitably arise, as well as dental problems. A person with xerostomia has a high risk of rapid development of oral dysbiosis, caries, pulpitis, periodontitis, gingivitis, and stomatitis. Also, when the mucous membrane is dry, a persistent bad breath occurs.

What other reasons are there?

There are also a number of rarer options that are still worth paying attention to.

1. Problems with the gastrointestinal tract, such as gastritis or inflammation;
2. Diabetes mellitus or various thyroid diseases;
3. Psychological problems, for example, depression, nervous breakdown or neurosis;
4. Uremia;
5. Hypovitaminosis.

How to get rid of this?

To stop feeling salty in your mouth, and to ensure that nothing interferes with your enjoyment of your favorite foods and drinks, there are several steps you should take.

• The most important thing is to contact a specialist. Only a competent doctor will be able to find the real cause of this phenomenon and accurately determine what the root of the problem is, as well as prescribe the fastest and highest quality treatment;
• In addition, you need to take a close look at the products you consume. If fast food, spicy, fried and fatty foods predominate among them, then all this should definitely be excluded from the diet. Switching to eating healthy foods without flavorings will not only help you get rid of saltiness in your mouth, but will also have a beneficial effect on your health and quality of life;
• lovers of tea and coffee drinks will have to give them up in favor of clean water. The same should be done for those who drink a lot of juices and sodas. Fortunately, you don’t need to give up completely, but you will have to significantly reduce the number of drinks;
• pay close attention to oral hygiene.

Homeopathy as a treatment for salty taste

There are a number of homeopathic components, the action of which is aimed at destroying a specific taste. Various drugs effectively cope with putrefactive, bitter, sweet and metallic flavors, and also get rid of the taste of blood or unpleasant odor. You can eliminate the salty taste using the following components:

• Mercurius. Eliminates putrid, metallic, sweet and salty tastes.
• Phosphorus. The drug is indicated for sensations of sour, sweet or salty taste, especially after eating food.
• Cyclamen. Designed to combat salty taste.
• Nux vomica. It is used for pronounced metallic or salty sensations, as well as for a sulfuric taste, most often after meals or in the morning.
• Stannum is a sensation of bitter, salty or sweet in the mouth.
• Teridion - with a weak salty flavor.
• Sulfur. Eliminates salty and bitter aftertaste.
• Zinc – bloody or salty taste.
• Taraxocum - salty or sour taste sensations of any food, especially fatty and meat foods.

What exactly will help a particular patient is determined by a specialist. He will also prescribe the frequency and dosage of the drug, as well as the duration of the course of therapy.

When salty taste is treated, the prognosis is generally good. However, this is only possible with strict adherence to all specialist recommendations. You should not ignore the symptoms and self-medicate, as this can lead to serious consequences.

The feeling of a taste in the mouth is familiar to every person after eating salty or over-salted food. Although this phenomenon may be unpleasant, it is only temporary.

The situation is much worse if the salty taste remains in the mouth for a long time or is constantly present. Such sensations are unpleasant, but they may not particularly bother you.

However, often this phenomenon signals a health problem in the body, so it is best to immediately establish the cause of such a taste.

Why saliva in your mouth can become salty

Nature has rewarded us with taste recipes, and this has significantly expanded our perception of the world around us. It has become a common and fashionable phenomenon to visit gastronomic tours in order to experience the flavor of exotic, specific and traditional dishes for each country. In the process of absorbing food, the variety of tastes changes and this is quite natural. What happens to the body when, quite unexpectedly, the neutral taste of saliva changes and the taste of salt is clearly felt in the mouth. Understanding that eating food has nothing to do with such a metamorphosis, a person begins to worry and look for an explanation for this unusual phenomenon.

Causes of salty saliva in the mouth - what is it connected with?

The taste of salt that appears in the mouth is not tied to any age group or location; it can appear in men and women.
The causes of the discomfort can be very different and they definitely deserve attention, analysis and, if necessary, treatment. The causes of the taste of salt in the mouth are not always pathological; they may be associated with:

1. Violation of water balance. Normally, a person should drink 1.5-2 liters of clean water per day. With a lack of fluid entering the body, the structure of saliva changes. Such a change entails a change in the taste of saliva. It can be sweet, bitter, sour and often salty. The body thus signals that it is losing beneficial minerals. The phenomenon of a salty taste in the mouth is typical for people taking diuretics.
2. Adverse habits (smoking, alcoholism), prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position.
3. Therapy with medications. This manifestation is not the norm and more often happens as a side effect. It is worthwhile to familiarize yourself in detail with possible side effects and immediately consult a doctor.
4. Malfunctions of the nervous system, stress, nervous overstrain. All actions, functions, sensations are regulated by the activity of the nervous system. Dysfunction of a physiological process or organ sends a distress signal to the brain, which in turn makes it clear that there is a problem.
5. Neoplasms in the brain. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy used to fight cancer cells have powerful effects on the body. A salty taste in the mouth is not the most serious consequence after therapy.
6. Poor oral care. In this case, the change in the taste of saliva is caused by the vital activity of microorganisms on the teeth, gums, tongue.
7. Diseases of the nasopharynx caused by infection. A salty taste in the mouth can occur from excessive mucus accumulation in the nasal passages and nasopharynx.
8. Psycho-emotional state, ophthalmological problems. Increased emotionality, blockage of tear ducts.
9. Allergies. Discharge of large amounts of salty mucus.
10. Hormonal changes in the body (pregnancy, menopause).
11. Visiting the dentist. Painkillers, anesthesia, antiseptics affect the structure of saliva. This may be the reason for the salty taste in your mouth.

Any disease is easier to treat if all its manifestations are stopped at the initial stage. The appearance of an unnatural taste in saliva is a symptom, the cause of which is important to find out.

Sweet taste

A sweet aftertaste in the mouth does not always indicate pleasure from sweets. Perhaps this is evidence of severe pathologies in the body. One of these diseases is diabetes mellitus, which is accompanied by a disruption in the production of insulin by the pancreas, as a result of which sugar accumulates in the lymph and penetrates into saliva.

Paradoxically, a sweet taste can also be a symptom of a “unsweetened” life, full of emotional turmoil and stress. In this case, saliva becomes sweet immediately after the release of adrenaline, which, in order to help the body overcome stress, causes an increase in glucose in the blood. It is also believed that a sweet aftertaste often accompanies smoking cessation.

Poisoning with chemicals (phosgene, pesticides) is another serious cause of a sweet taste. If, after contact with poisons, such an aftertaste, nausea appears, or your health worsens, you should urgently consult a doctor.

What does a salty taste in your mouth mean?

First of all, if the taste of saliva has changed from neutral to any other, it is necessary to exclude possible diseases. Salty lips in a person may indicate the following diseases:

1. Pathological changes in the salivary glands caused by pathogenic microflora. The cause may be contact with a sick person. Bacteria, viruses, infections are transmitted by airborne droplets. It can also be a complication after pneumonia, tuberculosis, or encephalopathy. A change in taste may be accompanied by pain in the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands. There may be an increase in thermometer readings and swelling of the glands.
2. Sinusitis, sinusitis. Colds and infectious diseases with cough and mucus discharge. The prognosis is favorable. Having cured the primary disease, the unusual taste of saliva will change to neutral.
3. Pancreatitis, gastritis, peptic ulcers of the stomach, duodenum. Diseases of the digestive system. Malfunction of the pancreas, leading to a change in the acidity of gastric juice.
4. Diseases of the lacrimal glands and canals.
5. Food poisoning, toxicosis, diarrhea, alcoholism - everything that can lead to dehydration.
6. Caries, tonsillitis, gum fistulas, periodontitis, gingivitis.
7. Rhinitis, sinusitis, laryngitis, bronchitis.
8. Epilepsy, ischemia, thrombosis, hypertension, stroke, atherosclerosis.
9. Allergic reaction of the body.

The causes of the taste of salt in the mouth in women can be caused by hormonal changes in the body during gestation in any trimester or during menopause. During such periods, the weaker sex is haunted by non-existent odors, food preferences and tastes change. Typically, such a change is not considered a sign of pathology and goes away on its own over time, unless, of course, pregnancy has caused an exacerbation of chronic ailments.

Which doctor should I see and what tests will I take?

It is quite natural that any health-related problem leads a person to the therapist’s office. It is this doctor who performs the initial examination, describes the medical history and writes out directions for tests:

• detailed blood test;
• blood chemistry;
• general urine analysis;
• cytological examination of mucous discharge from the sinuses;
• radiography of the nasal septum;
• Ultrasound of the nasal sinuses;
• Computed tomography, MRI.

The test results will allow you to accurately determine which specialist the patient should be referred to.

Depending on which system or organ the problem is found in, the attending physician is determined. This could be: an endocrinologist, an otolaryngologist, a gastroenterologist, a dentist, a neurologist.

Diagnostics

Diagnostic methods are selected depending on the person’s concomitant health complaints. The symptoms listed above will help you understand which specialist to seek help.

To begin with, you should contact a therapist, who will suggest the further path of examination.

Important! If, during regular hygiene measures, an unpleasant odor persists in the mouth, and even more so if blood is found in the oral cavity, this is a good reason to visit the dentist.

It is necessary to exclude or confirm and treat gingivitis, periodontitis or other oral diseases.

You should also go to the dentist if your salivary glands are swollen to check whether the problem is inflammation.

Thrush that appears in the oral cavity is also diagnosed and treated by this specialist.

If you have a runny nose, cough and a constant desire to improve your throat, you should go to an ENT specialist. People turn to him for constant nasal congestion, which often indicates rhinitis.

Abdominal pain and other tastes in the mouth are a reason to consult a gastroenterologist. Most likely, gastroscopy and/or ultrasound of the abdominal organs will be prescribed.

If you have weakness, constant pallor, noise in the ears, or spots before your eyes, you need to check your blood and rule out anemia.

The doctor prescribes a general blood test and, depending on its results, additional tests to clarify the type of anemia.

Need to know! Constant headaches, vomiting, and lack of coordination accompany the occurrence of tumors and other diseases of the brain and nerves.

Therefore, in such a situation, it is better to consult a therapist, neurologist or oncologist.

The doctor will conduct tests of coordination and reflexes, and may prescribe an MRI or SCT.

Saltiness of the lips when taking medications can be prescribed in the instructions for the drug.

You can also ask the doctor who prescribed the medicine about this.

Causes of salty taste in the mouth and methods to combat it

The causes of the unpleasant taste of salt in the mouth are varied. Some are easily remediable, while others can be the consequences of serious malfunctions in the human body. A constant specific taste on the tongue is one of the first signs of some diseases, so it cannot be ignored. If the symptom persists for a long time, you should contact a medical facility and find out why the salty taste appears in your mouth.

Development of infectious processes

A salty taste on the lips can be felt during the development of infectious processes. This is especially true for infectious processes that are located in the sinuses. In such a situation, they produce salty mucus that flows down the back of the throat into the mouth, creating an unpleasant sensation.

In this case, it is recommended to visit an otolaryngologist and undergo competent therapy, as a result of which the unpleasant symptoms will go away on their own after eliminating the main provoking cause.

Complications of ignoring taste

Ignoring the problem leads to the development of various complications:

• There is a loss of appetite. It seems to a person that his favorite dishes have a strange, unusual taste, so he stops enjoying eating.
• Against the background of sluggish infections, a decrease in immunity occurs.
• If you delay visiting a doctor, the disease enters the chronic phase.
• Transfer of infection from the oral cavity to vital organs.
• Insomnia, aggression, developing against a background of discomfort, irritation from the constant salty taste.
• Atherosclerosis resulting from dehydration, a decrease in the elasticity of blood vessels.

Causes of salt taste in the mouth caused by diseases

The most common causes of salt taste in the mouth are:

• Oncological diseases. The cause of a salty taste in the mouth and on the lips is often radiation therapy in tandem with chemicals used in the treatment of tumors.
• An infection that has entered the nasopharynx. Due to the accumulation of mucus in the nasal sinuses, less saliva is released, as a result, the oral mucosa constantly dries out, and the perception of taste changes.
• Salivary stone disease is dangerous due to the difficulty of diagnosis. Stones form in the saliva ducts, giving the saliva a bitter-salty taste and causing pain during swallowing. With the disease, the process of salivation is disrupted.
• Pathologies of the nervous system. A change in taste sensations in the oral cavity is a sign of a failure in the transmission of signals from nerve endings to the brain. Brain activity disorders associated with epilepsy, stroke, hypertension, atherosclerosis, ischemia, although rare, are manifested by altered taste perception, and therefore an increase in the salt balance in the oral cavity.
• Allergies accompanied by incessant coughing and sneezing with salty sputum.
• Inflammation of the glands responsible for the secretion of saliva: infections of bacterial origin (strepto-pneumo-staphylococci), sialadenitis, Sjogren's syndrome. Inflammatory processes affect the quality and quantity of saliva constantly secreted by the glands.

• Diseases of the nasopharynx. Sinusitis, which develops as a result of advanced colds, affects the mucous membrane of the sinuses. The secretory fluid, flowing from the nasal reservoirs, flows down the wall of the throat, which is why an unpleasant salty taste appears and patients cease to smell. Sinusitis - inflammation of the maxillary sinuses - is accompanied by a salty taste on the tongue and lips for the same reasons.
• Diseases accompanied by a debilitating cough. The mucus produced when coughing has a salty taste.
• Pancreatitis, a disorder of the functionality of the pancreas and gastrointestinal tract. As a result of improper functioning of the pancreas, the amount and composition of gastric juice changes, which is why saltiness appears on the tongue and lips.

Disturbances in brain activity

With the development of pathologies in brain activity, disturbances occur in various organs and systems. If there are abnormalities in the brain, for example, tumor processes or epilepsy, such diseases may be accompanied by a salty taste on the lips and on the mucous membrane of the mouth.

But such a reason is very rare. Especially if there are no additional symptoms of possible pathologies. It is recommended to visit a doctor to find out the cause of the symptom, this will help to quickly eliminate it.

Chief author and editor-in-chief: Makarskaya S.E., 29 years of experience.

Last revision: 08/17/2017

Causes not related to diseases

The taste of salt in the mouth may be due to the following factors:

• Dehydration. When drinking less than two liters of liquid per day, the water-salt balance in the body is disrupted. The composition of saliva changes significantly, causing dryness and a salty taste in the mouth (less often, a sweet or sour taste appears). Dehydration occurs during vomiting, diarrhea, and the use of extreme methods for losing weight.
• Exposure to medications and anesthesia used before and after tooth extraction changes the acidic environment around the gums, which can cause a salty taste in the mouth.
• Insufficient oral care. The appearance of a tasteless salt sensation is a possible sign of the proliferation of harmful microorganisms. Bacteria attack tooth enamel, contribute to the development of caries, and the appearance of tartar. As bacteria multiply, they infect the salivary glands, which means they change the taste of saliva from neutral to salty.
• Salty tears that enter the nasopharynx and leave a corresponding aftertaste. Excessive lacrimation can be associated both with a person’s emotional state and with a reaction to dust, bright snow, gusts of wind, sun or allergies.

Common side effects of some medications include a salty taste and dry lips. After taking medications with a diuretic effect, dehydration may occur, which also explains the appearance of salty saliva.

Why does the taste of salt appear in the mouth of women and men?

The cause of a salty taste in the mouth in women is most often pregnancy. The raging restructuring of hormones in the body of the expectant mother causes all possible taste changes. Strange tastes of pregnant women, the desire to eat salty foods is not a lady’s whim at all, but a violation of taste perception or dysgeusia. While carrying a child, a woman’s receptor sensitivity increases, which makes food seem bland to her. A salty taste in the mouth also provokes constant toxicosis.

In men, a salty taste in the mouth is caused by drinking large amounts of alcohol. Excessive intake of alcohol-containing products provokes dehydration, due to which men experience an unpleasant salty taste in the mouth.

Reason #1: poor oral hygiene

A simple lack of proper hygiene measures can provoke a salty taste in the mouth. With unsatisfactory oral hygiene, plaque remains, which has a characteristic salty taste. The thing is that people have glands in their mouths that actively produce mucus.

To fix this problem, it is enough:

• clean the mouth morning and evening;
• after eating, use floss (grasping the thread in your fingers and carefully removing any remaining food and plaque in the interdental space);
• Be sure to clean the surface of the tongue and the inside of the cheeks.

If you don't clean your teeth and gums well enough or completely ignore your daily care routine, plaque will begin to accumulate on your teeth. Initially, it is soft in consistency, but under the influence of salts from saliva it mineralizes and hardens. Such plaque is an excellent “base” for the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria; it cannot be cleaned without the help of a dentist and professional hygiene procedures. Bacterial waste products and mineralized, hardened plaque contribute to the sensation of a salty taste on the lips and in the mouth.

The development of bacteria on teeth can cause saltiness

Elimination of salty taste and treatment of the disease that caused it

• The salty taste caused by the medication disappears after the course of treatment is completed. In case of severe discomfort, you should undergo examination and change medications.
• It is easy to remove the feeling of salt caused by poor hygiene with the help of thorough brushing of the teeth, thorough rinsing of the mouth, and additional irrigation of the oral cavity with special means: balms, sprays, solutions.
• Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages by a person can cause intoxication of the body, which the pancreas cannot cope with. This condition can be eliminated by replenishing the fluid supply. You should drink regular or mineral water.

If the reason for the feeling of salt on the lips lies in dehydration, then the patient needs to drink more liquid, preferably regular drinking water. Drinks that remove fluid from the body - coffee, alcohol - should be excluded from the diet.

Self-medication is dangerous; all medications (tablets, sprays, ointments) must be taken as prescribed by a doctor.

Prevention of discomfort

In order to prevent the occurrence of a salty taste, you should:

• Visit the dentist at least once every six months.
• Maintain a drinking regime to maintain water-salt balance.
• Adhere to a healthy diet, give preference to environmentally friendly products.
• Maintain normal stress tolerance.
• Take good care of your teeth and oral cavity.
• Undergo medical examinations in a timely manner to identify diseases that cause a salty taste in the mouth.