9 Health conditions that make the mouth taste sweet

Usually, your mouth will taste sweet after eating foods that contain sugar. This can be from something natural, like honey and fruit, or from something processed like candy and ice cream. Even so, you also have to be vigilant if your mouth feels sweet all the time, even though you don't finish consuming sugary foods or drinks. The reason is, this could be a sign of a more serious health condition.

Various causes of the mouth taste sweet

1. Infection

Infections of the sinuses, nose, and throat can cause the mouth to taste sweet. This is because the senses of taste and the sense of smell are closely related. Not only that, but infections that affect the respiratory tract can also interfere with how the brain responds to taste.

2. Consumption of certain drugs

Some medications may also be the cause of a sweet taste in the mouth. Chemotherapy drugs often change a person's taste buds. This is one of the minor side effects of drugs that are often used for serious illnesses.

3. Are on a low carbohydrate diet

People who are on a low carbohydrate diet also often feel a sweet sensation in their mouth. This happens because low carbohydrate intake decreases insulin production in the body. As a result, the body will use fat as energy. This process is called ketosis and causes ketones to build up in the bloodstream, resulting in a sweet taste in the mouth.

4. Diabetes

Diabetes is the most common cause of a sweet taste in your mouth. This is because diabetes affects how well your body uses insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar.

When your diabetes is out of control, it can cause not only the glucose in the blood to increase, but also the glucose in saliva. Well, this often causes a sweet taste in your mouth.

5. Diabetic ketoacidosis

Diabetes can also cause a serious complication called diabetic ketoacidosis. This condition occurs when the body can't use glucose (blood sugar) for fuel and starts using fat instead. As a result, large amounts of acidic compounds called ketones are formed in the body. Well, excess ketones in the body can cause your mouth to taste sweet.

Although this condition is very common in people with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes, diabetic ketoacidosis can also appear in people who are not or are not aware that they have diabetes, for example children and adolescents.

6. Neurological conditions

Nerve damage can also cause a persistent sweet taste in the mouth. People who have had seizures or have had a stroke may experience sensory dysfunction. This can affect his senses, including when he recognizes tastes and smells. The results of this damage are quite complex and may vary in each case.

In some cases, a person may experience a sweet taste in their mouth that can come on and off or come on consistently.

7. Gastric acid reflux disease (GERD)

Some people who have acid reflux (GERD) also often complain of a sweet or metallic taste in their mouth. This is because stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, causing a sweet taste in the mouth.

8. Pregnancy

Pregnancy causes changes in a woman's hormone levels and digestive system, both of which can affect the taste and smell in the mouth. Some pregnant women in general often feel their mouths are not good, such as sometimes it can taste sweet, bitter, sour, salty, to taste like metal.

9. Lung cancer

Lung cancer is rarely the cause of a sweet taste in the mouth. In rare cases, tumors in the lungs or respiratory tract can increase a person's hormone levels and affect their sense of taste.

Some of the reasons for a sweet mouth that have been mentioned above directly affect the respiratory and olfactory systems. While other causes are influenced by hormones and the nervous system.

That's why, if you often have a sweet taste in your mouth on a rare basis, you probably shouldn't worry too much. However, if you experience this condition regularly or it gets more intense, you should see a doctor immediately.