Many people are interested in: "What to do if bitterness in the mouth?" This question can only be answered by understanding the reason for this unpleasant phenomenon. This symptom can indicate the presence of a variety of diseases. Which ones? This should now be described in detail.
Briefly about the phenomenon
Bitterness in the mouth can occur spontaneously, but often it is present in a person for a rather long time period. With intoxication and endocrine diseases, the taste lasts a long time. But with pathologies of the digestive system passes quickly.
But you should not focus on these characteristics. Only a doctor can determine the cause of the appearance of bitterness after he receives the results of the diagnosis.
As a rule, people aged 40 years and older are faced with this unpleasant manifestation. In their case, the causes are very different - chronic diseases of internal organs, changes in receptors, inflammation of the oral mucosa, hormonal disorders, or even the presence in the body of a pathological process that requires urgent medical correction.
Morning bitterness in the mouth
This phenomenon should be told first of all, since it is the most common. Bitterness in the mouth after waking is usually accompanied by dryness. Here are the reasons for this phenomenon:
- Digestive system dysfunction. For example, the entry of bile into the esophagus.
- Problems with gums and teeth.
- The abuse of coffee, alcohol and spicy foods.
- ENT diseases.
- Reflux disease (reflux into the esophagus of duodenal or gastric contents).
- Problems with the liver and gall bladder (hepatitis, cholecystitis, etc.).
- Failures in the endocrine system.
But usually, if there is bitterness in the mouth, this means that a person has serious dysfunctions of the liver, gall bladder, and its ducts.
Everything is logically explained. Liver cells produce bile, from where it travels to the gall bladder, and then to the intestines. At one of these stages (exactly this nuance is determined in the process of diagnosis), a violation occurs. It leads to stagnation of bile and further discharge into the esophagus. In this case, a bitter aftertaste appears.
Symptoms of Liver Problems
There are many diseases. If a person is constantly faced with bitterness in his mouth after waking up, it can be anything. The diagnosis can only be made by a hepatologist. However, there are a number of symptoms that indicate liver problems. And if at least 1-2 of them are combined with bitterness, you need to immediately begin to solve the problem.
Here are the symptoms that are alarming:
- Pain localized in the right hypochondrium. Often gives to the interscapular region or to the scapula itself. The pain, as a rule, is aching in nature. Strengthens after taking smoked, fried, spicy and fatty foods and alcohol, as well as during physical exertion.
- Nausea, vomiting. A common symptom, but with liver problems it is pronounced. It is accompanied by a violation of appetite, aversion to certain foods, diarrhea.
- Yellow plaque on the tongue. The extent to which it is expressed and intense depends on the ailment. Dense plaque indicates serious pathology. Weak may indicate early hepatitis.
- Fever. With cirrhosis and hepatitis, it increases up to 38 ° C. The temperature can be normal during the day, and rise in the evening. With biliary tract disease, it can be higher and is usually accompanied by muscle twitching.
- Disorders of a dyspeptic nature. These include bad breath, constipation and diarrhea, pain in the hypochondrium and abdomen, bloating, flatulence, etc.
- Yellowness of the mucous membranes and sclera. Usually manifested in cirrhosis and hepatitis, accompanied by darkening of urine and discoloration of feces.
- Hormonal imbalance, accompanied by pubic and armpit hair loss, menstrual irregularities in girls and female-type hair growth in men.
- Tendency to bleeding, including from the veins of the esophagus.
- Violations of the nervous system.
- Intoxication of the body.
Diagnostics
First, the doctor interviews the patient, then performs a visual examination. These are standard measures, they are always followed by analysis of biomaterial, which helps to determine whether the liver is coping with its tasks or not.
Diagnostics involves the following activities:
- The study of pigment exchange. With its help, the general functions of the organ are checked.
- Bilirubin urine. Its increase, as a rule, indicates the presence of jaundice.
- Analysis of the concentration of bile acids in the bile itself. Helps assess the condition of the gallbladder and ducts, as well as the liver itself.
- The study of protein metabolism and coagulation.
- Cholinesterase enzyme analysis.
- The study of the excretory function of an organ.
- The study of serum enzymes.
- The study of carbohydrate metabolism.
Diagnostics is not complete without instrumental methods. These include ultrasound, computed tomography, MRI, liver biopsy and radioisotope scanning.
How to improve liver function?
If there is bitterness in the mouth, and it appeared due to problems associated with this body, then treatment should be started urgently. Only a doctor can prescribe competent therapy. In addition, it is not known what needs to be influenced.
Essential phospholipids are often prescribed. They are indicated for hepatitis, cirrhosis, necrosis, liver failure, as well as for many other lesions of this organ.
Of course, the most popular representative of this group is Essential. At the initial stage of treatment, it is recommended to use this drug in the form of both injections and capsules.
Derivatives of amino acids are also prescribed. Especially good are preparations based on ornith aspartate, ademetionin. For example, "Hepator", which is available in the form of tablets and lyophilisate. Hepa-Merz is more popular. There is both a concentrate for solution preparation and granules.
When treating bitterness tablets in the mouth caused by liver problems, one should not forget about taking bile acids. The most effective drugs in this group are Livodex and Ursofalk.
It is also recommended the use of medicines made with the use of herbal ingredients - Karsil, Hofitol, Hepabene, Silimar. Also, the doctor can prescribe homeopathic remedies - “Edas-113 Holeton”, “Hepel”, “Enterix”, “Galstena” and “Leptandra compositum”.
The most important thing is to choose those drugs that will definitely affect the disease that the patient has. If the cause can be eliminated, then the pain, bitterness of the mouth, as well as other symptoms will soon disappear.
It should be noted that all the above diseases are accompanied by digestive disorders, intestinal microflora (which is manifested by increased gas formation, bloating) and, as a result, hinder the transport of bile, which leads to its stagnation.
Gastrointestinal diseases
Continuing to talk about the causes of bitterness of the mouth after waking up, it should be noted that this is often a symptom of a disease associated with the gastrointestinal tract. A person may have a pathology from the following list:
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease. Other symptoms: sternal pain radiating to the neck, interscapular region, left half of the chest, jaw. More heartburn, sour belching. Manifested mainly at night, after eating, as well as when leaning forward. Hoarseness, white patches on the tongue, dry throat, cough, shortness of breath may occur.
- Dyspepsia of the stomach. Other symptoms: periodic short-term pain in the upper abdomen, nausea, heaviness in the stomach, intrusive heartburn, a feeling of fullness of the stomach and a feeling of fullness, rapid satiety.
- Gastritis. Other symptoms: weakness, dizziness, vomiting, weight loss, discomfort in the epigastrium, disturbances in the cardiovascular system, drowsiness, impaired stool, pain in the solar plexus.
- An ulcer of the duodenum and stomach. Other symptoms: heartburn, pain, thirst, dyspepsia, changes in appetite, nausea, irritability and sleep disturbance, anemia, vomiting, belching sour, more rare heartbeat.
- Pancreatitis Other symptoms: pain in the left hypochondrium (gives back), flatulence, vomiting and nausea, high fever, thick white coating on the tongue, sweating and headache, pale skin, high blood pressure, heart rate too high.
- Enteritis. Other symptoms: stool disorder, flatulence, pain in the right iliac region, vomiting of intestinal or gastric contents, temperature 37 ° C, muscle atrophy, weakness, weight loss, protein swelling, increased secretion of fats.
- Colitis. Other symptoms: painful urge to defecate, severe discomfort and bloating, blood and mucus in the feces, diarrhea.
All of these pathologies are accompanied by pain, bitterness of the mouth, a violation of microflora and digestion. So it's hard not to notice a violation in the digestive tract.
Drugs for the treatment of the gastrointestinal tract
Again, in this case, the doctor also prescribes the therapy. The reasons for the bitterness of the mouth after awakening were listed above - the appearance of this symptom can provoke any ailment.
Antibiotics cope with some diseases, laxatives with others, and adsorbents with others. What exactly needs to be taken - the gastroenterologist will say, having studied the diagnostic results.
Good drugs are the following:
- "Lactofiltrum." Eliminates pain and flatulence, saturates the body with minerals and vitamins. Normalizes histamine levels.
- Linex A combined remedy that quickly restores the intestinal microflora.
- Smecta. Known adsorbent that has antispasmodic and enveloping effects.
- "Rehydron". Restores electrolyte balance, has a softening effect.
- Gynoflor. It has antidiarrheal and absorbing effects. Creates a protective barrier around the intestinal mucosa.
- "Bactisubtil." A restorative drug that improves cellular immunity, as well as the production of vitamins B and P.
- Normax. A good antibacterial agent that helps with both acute and chronic gastrointestinal pathologies. Eliminates intestinal imbalance.
Also, bitterness in the mouth and nausea can be eliminated by regularly taking chamomile tea. Still help decoctions of sage, yarrow, mountain ash, peppermint, St. John's wort and other medicinal herbs. Ginger is also a good natural remedy.
Oral inflammation
As a rule, it occurs after dental procedures. Soft tissues are very sensitive, and therefore inflammation appears in many people.
In this case, the bitterness in the mouth, in the tongue, will pass relatively quickly. However, inflammation can also be caused by a disease. To eliminate it, you will need to take medicine. And here are which ones:
- “Clindamycin”, “Ciprofloxacin” and “Linkomycin” help to cope with inflammation caused by bacteria, infections.
- Viferon, Lavomax and Cycloferon are effective for viruses.
- "Fluconazole", "Nystatin", "Pimafucin", "Ketoconazole", "Clotrimazole" help with fungal diseases.
- Oxolinic ointment, Solcoseryl, Chlorhexidine, Stomatidin, Cholisal, Sanguirythrin are effective in complex treatment.
- "Imudon" helps to increase immunity, which is significantly weakened during the period of the disease.
- Nimesil, Ibuprofen, and Paracetamol help relieve temperature and pain.
The removal of bitterness in the mouth can be facilitated by rinsing with decoctions of herbs and soda solution. Applications with the use of natural oils will also be useful. Sea buckthorn, dogrose and St. John's wort are especially good. Rinses for rinsing are best done from the bark of oak, chamomile, calendula and eucalyptus leaf.
Hormonal disorders
They may also cause bitterness in the mouth. Functional disorders of the thyroid gland lead to this unpleasant manifestation. Usually, one of two things happens: either decreased or increased secretion of thyroid hormones.
In this case, the level of norepinephrine and adrenaline often increases. This, in turn, is fraught with spasms of the bile duct. Therefore, bitterness arises.
Treatment will not succeed without normalizing hormonal balance, but in order to select the appropriate drugs, you will need to take blood and urine for analysis. It is important. The hormonal background is a very fragile mechanism, and it is extremely easy to break it.
In pregnant women, by the way, this symptom is also common. It is not surprising, because after conception in the body there is a real hormonal restructuring. And this is fraught with a mass of manifestations, including nausea, vomiting, bad mood, as well as pronounced bitterness in the mouth.
Food bitterness
This is a separate case. Can bitterness in the mouth be triggered by eating? Yes, it is quite. And it is caused by such products as sausage, lard, fatty meat, fried potatoes, chips. Sometimes even fruit or chocolate. Sometimes it is not so much in the composition of the food taken, but in its quality. Indeed, poisoning, as is known, is accompanied by bile bitterness of the mouth.
Special attention should be paid to pine nuts. They have a pronounced choleretic effect. Some other nuts too. That is why bitterness in the mouth during the use of this treat is the norm.
The same sensation can cause the absorption process of the following products:
- Strong black tea.
- Alcohol.
- Pasta.
- Coffee.
- Chocolate.
- Potatoes.
- Products from flour.
- Wheat bread.
But some people claim that they always have bitterness in their mouth after eating. Treatment in this case is necessary. And you need to start it with a change in your diet. However, it is not worth it yourself to make a new diet. You must first pass an examination.
Do not forget about the existence of such a thing as dysgeusia. This is a taste disorder, sometimes mental. The case is unusual, and therefore only after a detailed examination and diagnosis can the cause and treatment be established.
After eating, bitterness in the mouth does not go away, and during eating it too. She is just constantly present. Because of this, a person wants to absorb some unusual substances - lime, for example, clay, wet sand. After all, tastes are shifting, and even sour begins to seem sweet.
And some people, due to the high content of phenylthiocarbamide, perceive mainly a bitter taste in life. This is also experienced by heavy smokers, as well as individuals subject to frequent stresses. Be that as it may, you still have to go to the doctor.
Oil rinse
Do you want to remove bitterness, plaque and dryness from your mouth? Then you need to start in the morning, immediately after waking up, rinse the cavity with vegetable, olive or linseed oil. For 5-6 minutes, you need to put a small amount into your mouth and intensively “roll” it. After time, spit it all out. Rinse your mouth with boiled water.
Why is this needed? The oil dissolves the pathogens that live in the oral cavity. Microflora is coated with fat-soluble membranes. So the oil quickly destroys bacteria and neutralizes toxins.
The benefits are obvious. Here's what regular rinses lead to:
- Oral disinfection.
- Improving metabolic processes and digestion.
- The cure of the mucous membranes and gums.
- Enamel whitening and strengthening.
- Elimination of diseases of the throat and upper respiratory tract.
- Restoring vitality.
- Improving immunity.
- Normalization of pressure.
- Allergy elimination.
After a week of applying the oil, you will be able to feel the effect. Bitterness and dry mouth in the morning will cease to bother, but it is worth continuing to rinse.
Alternative medicine
If bitterness appears frequently in the mouth, then you can try to eliminate it with the help of folk remedies. Here are some popular recipes:
- Take 1 tbsp. l dried corn stigmas, pour boiling water (250 ml), leave for 2 hours under the lid. Then strain. Drink the resulting volume in four equal doses per day. Repeat every day until the bitterness disappears.
- A glass of flax seeds, ground in a mortar, pour boiling water (up to 1.5 liters). Let it brew, stir occasionally. It can be considered ready when it begins to resemble jelly. After this, you will need to use 1 cup of infusion in several approaches for 3-5 days.
- Warm milk and grated horseradish should be mixed in proportions of 10: 1. Heat the resulting mixture over minimal heat and let it brew for 15 minutes. Then strain. Take 6 times a day for three days, 1 glass.
- Take 1 tbsp. l medicinal chamomile and pour a glass of boiling water. Allow to infuse for several hours or send to a low heat to cook. Then strain and drink like tea. You can also make an infusion of calendula, only have to take 10 grams of the plant. Take no more than 4 times a day, be sure to eat.
- Three flowers of marigolds should be poured with a glass of hot water and let it brew for 15 minutes. Have a drink before bedtime. Dinner should be light.
- Mix freshly squeezed juice of celery, parsley and carrots in a ratio of 150, 60 and 200 ml. The resulting volume to use during the day for 3-4 approaches.
The use of these funds can be an excellent prevention. The main thing is not to abuse them. Everything is good in moderation.
Diet
In the end, it is worth talking about what diet should be adhered to if you want to get rid of bitterness in your mouth. This is the main advice of doctors - to review and change their diet. Since discomfort most often arises precisely from eating bad food.
Here's what you need to do:
- Start often and little by little. 5-6 times a day in small portions. Fractional nutrition normalizes pressure in the duodenum.
- Forget about alcohol, fried, smoked and fatty foods, soda, seasonings. All this provokes a spasm of the sphincter of Oddi, and this disrupts the outflow of bile.
- Stop eating what causes bloating. This is white cabbage, grapes, bananas, legumes, brown bread.
- Limit the consumption of vegetable oils, animal fats and rich broths.
- Be sure to eat fiber - vegetables and fruits.
- Take as a rule the daily use of bran. Enough 1 tbsp. l (need to drink water).
- To diversify the diet with prunes, honey, oranges, dried apricots, carrots, pears, green salads, watermelons, pumpkin, zucchini. These foods promote bowel movements.
- Drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day.
- Three hours before bedtime, drink a glass of kefir or eat unsweetened fruit.
Most often, people who experience bitterness in their mouths adhere to diet No. 5. It is indicated for patients suffering from diseases associated with the gall bladder.