Ask Dr. Gourmet

What might cause a bitter taste in your mouth?

My husband has a bitter taste in his mouth. He says that all his food tastes nasty and he's lost a lot of weight from this.

Dr. Gourmet Says...

There are a number of things that could cause this issue with your husband. I would suggest that you have him see his physician as soon as possible to help.

1. The most serious is a problem called Burning Mouth Syndrome. This is described by patients along a spectrum of pain from burning to tingling. It is a challenging syndrome to treat.

2. Often patients with Sjogren's or sicca syndrome have challenges with the taste of food.

3. The most likely from your brief description is Oral Allergy Syndrome. This often goes overlooked by doctors and is easy to treat.

There are other, less common causes, making it critically important that he ask his doctor and create a plan to be seen by a specialist to help with his condition - especially given his weight loss.

Thanks for writing,

Timothy S. Harlan MD, FACP
Dr. Gourmet