How to Get Rid of a Bad Taste in Your Mouth

No matter how careful you are about your oral hygiene, at times, you can get a bad taste in your mouth that just won't go away. Be it the remnants of strong-tasting food, the results of a cold or flu, or a mysterious metallic or bitter taste, an unpleasant taste in your mouth can be at best distracting and at worst sickening. Luckily, there are a few tricks to help get rid of that nasty taste.

Practice proper oral hygiene. If the bad taste is stemming from common halitosis (bad breath), a regular oral hygiene program should solve your problem. This means brushing and flossing your teeth and using mouthwash regularly. Make sure to brush properly and clean your entire mouth, including your gums and tongue.

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Ask your doctor if any of your prescriptions may be causing the bad taste. Sometimes medicines can leave a metallic taste in your mouth that doesn't seem to go away. If this is indeed one of the side effects of your medication, ask your doctor if there is an alternate medicine that won't produce the metallic taste.

Take vitamin C tablets or increase your vitamin C intake by eating more citrus fruit or drinking citrus juices, such as orange or grapefruit juice. This will help to eliminate persistent bad breath, which can leave a bad taste in your mouth.

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Suck on breath mints. This is a good remedy for a temporary bad taste that may come from eating a strong-flavored food. Lemon-flavored candy can also mask or diminish a bad taste.

Brush your teeth with a paste made out of baking soda and salt. This will rid your mouth of plaque and bacteria that may be responsible for the unpleasant taste in your mouth. It will also neutralize any acid, which can be another culprit behind the bad taste.

Rinse your mouth with a solution of salt and water, or hydrogen peroxide and water. If you have a small oral infection, this will act to treat it. Be sure not to swallow this solution, especially if you are using hydrogen peroxide, which is dangerous to ingest.

Visit a dentist. If other steps don't work, you may have a serious periodontal issue that requires treatment. A regular trip to the dentist for a check-up and cleaning is always a good idea, as it will contribute to your overall oral health and eliminate many of the factors that initially cause a bad taste in your mouth 12.