Overview

A metallic taste is not usually serious and can be a symptom of many different things. Treatment will depend on the cause.

Common causes of metallic taste

Cause and what you can do:

• Gum disease - regularly brush your teeth, use dental floss, have a dental check-up every 6 months
• Taking medicine, like metronidazole - speak to a pharmacist for advice but do not stop taking prescribed medicine without medical advice
• Cancer treatment, like chemotherapy or radiotherapy – eat stronger tasting food like ginger, spices and boiled sweets
• Colds, sinus infections and other airway problems - the taste should go away once the problem has cleared up
• Indigestion - the taste should go away after treating indigestion
• Being pregnant - the taste is usually temporary and clears up by itself

Sometimes, a metallic taste can be linked to a problem with your sense of smell.

See a GP if:

• the metallic taste does not go away
• the metallic taste has no obvious cause