Another symptom that may occur in pregnant mothers is a bitter taste in the mouth—often described as feeling like you’re sucking on a piece of aluminum foil. No matter what you do, this unpleasant sensation can seem impossible to eliminate. This condition, commonly referred to as pregnancy bitter tongue, is actually a type of taste distortion known as dysgeusia, which frequently occurs during pregnancy. In this article, we’ll explore what causes pregnancy bitter tongue and how you can manage or reduce the discomfort it brings.
Pregnancy, what does it mean to have a dry tongue?
When the first bitter taste or change in taste occurs, pregnant women will experience a strange sensation. It is a feeling that is difficult to explain, and the more the pregnancy progresses, the more intense this strange taste will become.
Taste buds change during pregnancy because the mother’s body has changes in the hormone estrogen, which affects the taste buds, causing many people to feel bitter in the mouth, throat, or have a metallic taste in the mouth.
Especially for mothers who have morning sickness , combined with the astringent feeling on the tongue, it will make them want to vomit even more. No matter what they eat, chew gum, suck on candy, or drink fruit juice, it will not help this feeling go away. However, these symptoms are normal and will gradually disappear after giving birth.
When does a bitter taste in the mouth occur?
Up to 93 percent of pregnant women experience astringent taste in their mouths, which occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy. It is a symptom of changes in taste buds. Some women say that the taste in their mouths is like drinking water that has been left in a stainless steel glass. Some people feel a sour taste in their mouths. It usually occurs when the stomach is empty or has not eaten anything. It is difficult to explain, but if it happens to pregnant women, they will probably know it immediately.
Pregnancy, tongue numbness, when will it go away?
Like morning sickness, taste bud changes will improve, or even disappear completely, during the second trimester as pregnancy hormones stabilize. Or, worse, you may have to deal with it until you give birth. But of course, after your baby is born, you will be free of the bitter taste in your mouth.
Bitter taste stuck in the throat
Causes of bitter taste in mouth
- The cause of the bitter taste in the mouth is pregnancy. You probably have never had this problem before until you get pregnant. And this bad taste is caused by the hormone estrogen, which increases, affecting the sense of taste, smell, and appetite. The sense of smell becomes much more sensitive and works well with the sense of taste. Therefore, whenever you smell a pungent smell, it will increase the bitter taste in your mouth even more.
- Edema is another cause of bitter taste in the mouth. During pregnancy, your body retains a lot of water. Edema affects the function of your body’s cells, including your taste buds.
Pregnant, astringent tongue, how to fix the bitter taste in the mouth?
Although this bitter, metallic taste cannot be prevented, being prepared and prepared to deal with it can help relieve some of the anxiety of pregnant women. Here are some ways to reduce the bitter taste in your mouth:
- Drinking acidic beverages can counteract the bitter taste. Drinking sour fruit juices such as oranges, lemons, pineapples, kiwis, and green apples can help reduce the bitter taste. Or if your mother likes sweets, try eating sweet and sour lollipops. Pickled foods soaked in vinegar, such as pickled melons and pickled olives, can be used when your mouth is sour. Potato chips flavored with vinegar and salt can also help. But most importantly, no matter what you choose to eat or drink, be careful not to eat too much.
- Holding an ice cube in your mouth can also help. To make it even better, try adding a little lemon juice to the water before soaking it to add a little tangy flavor.
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Eating smaller, more frequent meals, rather than a few large ones, can help reduce nausea and relieve a bitter or metallic taste in your mouth.
- Maintain good oral hygiene. Brush your tongue to remove bitter tastes. Use mouthwash between meals. You can make your own mouthwash using warm water mixed with salt.
- Use ¼ teaspoon of baking soda mixed with water to help balance the pH in your mouth.
- You should avoid strong-smelling foods and seafood during this time.
For the next few months, you may have to endure this strange taste, but the above-mentioned remedies will help relieve the symptoms of pregnancy bitter tongue. For most pregnant women, a bitter taste in the mouth does not indicate any underlying problems. If you are uncomfortable, you may want to consult your doctor to ease your anxiety.
Pregnancy, bitter tongue, pregnant woman, bitter mouth, will it be a girl?
You may have heard that pregnant women who feel bitter or metallic taste in their mouths are likely to have a daughter! In fact, this is just an old belief with no medical evidence to support it. If you want to know the gender of your baby for sure, we recommend NIPT. It is more than 99% accurate and can also screen for chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome.
5 Strange Symptoms That May Occur During Pregnancy
Symptoms that occur with each pregnant woman may be different. Although there are basic symptoms that most pregnant women tend to experience, such as changes in taste buds, morning sickness, and aches and pains , Dr. Robyn Horsager-BoehrerAnd Dr. Elaine Duryea, who is both a mother and an obstetrician-gynecologist, says that even strange symptoms can happen to pregnant mothers. Both doctors have shared their own strange experiences. Let’s see if there are symptoms that mothers are experiencing too
Dr. Robin is a big coffee drinker, but she can’t drink it. The smell and taste are all mixed up. The reason is because she is pregnant with twins. The doctor also said that during pregnancy, she couldn’t drink coffee without feeling nauseous. And that made her suffer from caffeine withdrawal quite a bit.
This change in taste buds is caused by a surge in hormones in your body. Foods you used to love may suddenly become detestable overnight, while foods you used to dislike may become delicious. Isn’t it strange? This change in taste perception also creates a bitter taste, as if metal has been placed on your tongue. You may feel very nauseous.
However, mothers do not need to worry about this symptom because most will feel better as hormone levels stabilize during the second trimester. Some may feel a bit longer, but after giving birth, you will definitely be able to go back to eating your favorite foods as usual. Just like Dr. Robin, she can go back to eating breakfast and enjoying coffee again.
Pain around the navel
During the ultrasound, some mothers may feel a slight jolt when the doctor moves the instrument around the navel. This pain is definitely caused by pregnancy. Although the exact cause is unknown, the abdominal area, including the skin and muscles that stretch, as well as the uterus that enlarges and presses against the navel, some mothers may find that their navel hole has jumped up until it is almost invisible. This is because the uterus has enlarged.
Mothers may sleep on their side to reduce pain around the navel or wear a back support belt to support the abdomen.
However, if the mother has a fever, vomiting, cramps, or bleeding, she should see a doctor immediately.
Ninety percent of the hair on your head is in the growing phase, while the other ten percent is in the resting phase. Every two to three months, ten percent of the hair falls out and new hair grows out.
During pregnancy, estrogen causes hair to grow longer than before. This means that there is less hair that is fully grown and ready to fall out. Pregnant women tend to have thick, dark, long, shiny hair during pregnancy before all the shedding ends up in the postpartum period.
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Swollen gums, bleeding gums
The raging hormones during pregnancy put a strain on your circulatory system, and your gums can become irritated, swollen, and bleed.
Pregnancy can also cause gingivitis , so mothers must maintain good oral hygiene, avoid brushing too hard, and visit the dentist regularly.
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Numbness in the palmar cavity
Numbness in the palmar cavity or the area between the wrist and the palm may occur to pregnant women in the morning after waking up or late at night after sleeping. If you feel numbness in the palmar cavity, avoid sleeping on your hands. Avoid activities that make the numbness worse, such as typing, sewing, etc. If you must do this, you should adjust your posture to be more suitable, such as adjusting the height of the keyboard. Wrapping your wrist may also help reduce the symptoms.
Republished with permission from theAsianParent Thailand
