What are the symptoms and causes of a constant sweet taste in the mouth?
Who in the world never ever craved candies, ice cream, and chocolate? While eating something sweet doesn’t sound like something dangerous, it is important to know that eating too much sugar can lead to various problems. But before you start panicking, do not worry! We will go over everything you need to know about the constant sweet taste in the mouth and how to reduce or prevent this symptom.
My saliva always tastes sweet, is it bad?
First and foremost, when we eat something sweet, the sugar found in the candy or chocolate will excite our taste buds. This sends a rather enjoyable signal to our brain. However, this excitement effect should go away shortly after you are done eating your sweets. If it doesn’t, then this could mean that something is wrong.
Actually, in most cases, this phenomenon is a sign that usually means you should start changing your diet and your habits. In some cases, however, a constant sweet taste in your mouth can be the underline of a more serious health issue, like diabetes, for example.
What are the causes why my saliva always tastes sweet?
As mentioned before, having a sweet taste in your mouth should not always make you raise the alarm. But in many cases, it is indeed a sign that something is about to go wrong if you don’t change anything. That being said, here are the main causes behind this strange symptom:
- The main health issue that could cause this effect in your mouth is any irregularities in your metabolism. Feeling tired all of a sudden, or feeling like you always crave food with lots of sugar could be the precursors to diabetes, ketosis, or thyroid disorder.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or also commonly called GERD or acid reflux, is a problem with the digestive system where the acid in your stomach rises too much, to the point where it goes in your throat.
- Pregnant women may experience acid reflux (GERD) as well. If you are pregnant, even if you are craving sweet snacks, you should be careful and avoid sugar as much as possible.
- Any viruses that can potentially attack the olfactory system, such as COVID19, can cause a constant sweet taste in your mouth.
- Infections such as mouth or nose infections can also be a cause of this symptom.
- In some rare cases, a neurologic disorder such as a stroke, a seizure, or epilepsy, can be a cause of always a constant sweet taste in your saliva.
- Finally, in a few rare cases, some forms of cancer can affect the level of sodium in your blood. In medical terms, this effect is called the Syndrome of Inappropriate Hormone Secretion (SIADH).
How can I prevent the constant sweet taste in my mouth?
Before you start worrying about everything, it is important to stay calm and to understand what might be the cause of the sweet taste in your mouth. Most of the time, this symptom is due to a bad diet with too much sugar intake on a daily basis. Therefore, we recommend avoiding sweets for a while, and of course, eating healthy with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Moreover, you can also do some exercises, 2 to 3 times per week. This will allow your blood to circulate better in your body, and good blood circulation always improves one’s overall health. Also, if you are a smoker or if you drink alcohol quite often, know that this can be the cause behind the sweet taste in your mouth, so you should moderate or stop your consumption as soon as possible.
Is a sweet taste in the mouth a diabetes symptom?
It is not always related, but more often than not, it is an early sign that you are at risk of having diabetes. Therefore, if the sweet taste in your mouth doesn’t go away even after taking good care of your health, then it means that you should seek medical help.
Furthermore, a person who is on the verge of getting diabetes will often have other symptoms, such as:
- Blurred vision
- Frequent urination
- Suddenly feeling very tired
- Always craving food, especially sweets
- Slower healing of wounds and cuts
- Patches of dark skin
- Always thirsty
- Tingling, numbness, or pain around the hands/feet
So as you can see, the sweet taste in the mouth is not the only early symptom of diabetes, therefore, you shouldn’t panic. That said, if you experience many of the above symptoms for a week or two, you could be at risk of having diabetes type 1 or type 2, thus why it is crucial that you keep exercising regularly and that you keep a balanced diet at all times.
We hope this guide was informative and that you better understand the causes, symptoms, and effects of a sweet taste in the mouth. You can always enjoy your favorite candies, as long as you keep a good diet, everything should be fine.
