Metallic taste

Common causes of a metallic taste

There are lots of possible causes of a metallic taste in the mouth.

Common causes include:

• gum disease
• taking certain medicines, like metronidazole or zopiclone
• cancer treatments, like chemotherapy and radiotherapy
• colds, sinus infections and other airway problems
• indigestion
• being pregnant

Sometimes, a lost or changed sense of smell can cause a metallic taste in your mouth.

How to get rid of a metallic taste

If you have a metallic taste in your mouth, what you can do to get rid of it depends on what's causing it. It will sometimes go away by itself.

See a GP if:

• you have a metallic taste that does not go away
• the metallic taste has no obvious cause

Metallic taste

Metallic taste

Common causes of metallic taste include gum disease, certain medicines, cancer treatments, and colds, sinus infections and other airway problems.

How you get rid of a metallic taste depends on the cause. For example, if taking a certain medicine is causing it, changing medicine may help.