During pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, some women experience metallic or sour taste in their mouths, even when not eating. The medical term for a change in sense of taste is dysgeusia. Because taste and smell are so interconnected, dysgeusia may also affect the sense of smell.
Dysgeusia is very common during pregnancy, similar to morning sickness. It’s caused by a change in hormones during pregnancy. Estrogen, especially, seems to have an influence on the sense of taste, and during pregnancy estrogen levels fluctuate widely.
In the second trimester, when hormones calm down a bit, the metallic or sour taste should ease or disappear, similar to morning sickness. While you’re waiting for that to happen, try eating and drinking acidic foods and beverages, if you’re stomach isn’t sensitive to it. In addition to breaking through the metallic taste, they also increase saliva production, which may help to wash the taste away. Some of the best foods to banish the metallic taste include:
- Citrus: oranges, grapefruit, lemonade, orange juice, etc.
- Pickled foods: pickles, pickled beets, olives
- Tomatoes and tomato-based foods
Washing your mouth with a mild saltwater solution or mouthwash may also help to keep the bad taste at bay. You might also talk to your doctor about changing your prenatal vitamin, as some seem to promote the metallic taste more than others.
