People with diabetes may suffer from a taste disorder that causes a salty, bad or sour taste in the mouth. Other complications of diabetes that may affect the sense of taste include dry mouth due to high blood sugar levels and neuropathy affecting the mouth nerves. Sufferers of salty taste in mouth diabetes may be at a higher risk of gum disease, dental cavities and other oral problems.
Diabetics and Taste Disorders
Diabetics may have an increased risk of taste disorders, according to an article posted on Diabetes Self-Management by Amy Campbell, MS, RD, LDN, CDE. One taste disorder is dysgeusia, which causes a bad, sour or salty taste in the mouth. What's more, recently people with type 2 diabetes often experience problems tasting sweet foods. As a result, the taste of salt in food may become stronger.
Also called xerostomia, dry mouth is a condition that many patients with diabetes suffer from due to high blood sugar levels and diabetes medication, notes the American Diabetes Association. Lack of saliva in the mouth can affect the sense of taste as well as impact chewing and swallowing.
Complications of Salty Taste in Mouth
If you suffer from salty taste in mouth from diabetes, you should visit your dentist regularly for checkups. Dry mouth could be causing your mouth to taste salty, which means that you're at an increased risk of cavities and gum disease. Saliva washes food particles away from the teeth and discourages the growth of bacteria that cause tooth decay. Accordingly, patients suffering from dry mouth lose some of the protective effects of saliva.
Remedies for Salty Taste in Mouth for Diabetics
Medications prescribed by a physician help control the symptoms of diabetes, but sufferers of taste disorders and dry mouth can also improve their symptoms with lifestyle changes and home remedies. Avoid smoking and breathing through your mouth, and rinse every day with an alcohol-free mouthwash like Colgate Total Mouthwash For Gum Health. Sip water regularly throughout the day, and substitute sugary and salty foods in your diet with vegetables and fruit, which are high in water. You can also chew sugar-free gum or suck sugar-free candies to stimulate your mouth to produce saliva.
If your mouth regularly or constantly tastes salty for no reason, visit your physician for a health care evaluation. Taste disorders can be a sign of diabetes, or you may have another condition. When you have a diagnosis, there's plenty you can do to help make the salty taste go away.