What is the reason why the elderly have a bitter taste in their mouths? What usually causes a bitter taste in the mouth?

Sometimes we will feel a bitter taste in our mouth without realizing it, which will not only affect our appetite, but also make us very uncomfortable. Maybe we don’t pay much attention to this issue in our daily lives. So what is the general reason for the bitter taste in the mouth of the elderly?

1. Wind-cold

Exogenous wind-cold evil qi turns into heat and enters the Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian, often causing symptoms such as bitter taste in the mouth. The Treatise on Febrile Diseases says that “the symptoms of Shaoyang disease are bitter taste in the mouth, dry throat, dizziness, irritability, and nausea.”

2. Diet

Irregular diet and strenuous exercise after eating may cause bitter taste in the mouth. The reason for this is that food stays in the gastrointestinal tract for too long and is not digested, which can easily produce dampness and heat, causing a bitter taste in the mouth. At the same time, there will also be symptoms such as yellow and greasy tongue coating, abdominal distension and pain, and yellow urine.

3. Bitter taste in the mouth caused by damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder

It is caused by stagnant heat in the gallbladder meridian or liver heat transferred to the gallbladder, resulting in the upward flow of gallbladder qi. Bitter taste in the mouth caused by damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder is most likely due to inflammation in the liver and gallbladder, especially in patients with cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. Due to poor gallbladder function, abnormal bile secretion causes a bitter taste in the mouth. People with liver and gallbladder diseases not only have a bitter taste in the mouth, but also have symptoms such as headache and dizziness, flushed face and eyes, impatience and irritability, dry and hard stools, and a red tongue.

4. Bitter taste in the mouth caused by heart fire

This type of bitter taste in the mouth is caused by anxiety, irritability, or staying up late, which leads to indigestion and poor bile excretion. It is often accompanied by flushed face, headache, red eyes, and yellow urine. It is worth noting that psychological bitterness in the mouth is also relatively common. Some people are likely to experience a bitter taste in the mouth due to excessive pressure from work and study, and when they are often angry, irritable, anxious, fearful, uneasy, or suffer from insomnia.

5. Disease

Some patients with chronic diseases, such as diabetes and certain tumors, often have a bitter taste in the mouth and should be vigilant. People with irregular living habits and lack of sleep often have a bitter taste in their mouth when they wake up in the morning. Severe snoring or sleeping with the mouth open can also easily cause bitter taste in the mouth. Excessive smoking, alcoholism, etc. can also cause bitter taste in the mouth. People with oral inflammation may have a bitter taste in their mouth directly caused by local diseases such as gingivitis and other oral diseases.

Therefore, when you feel a bitter taste in your mouth, you must pay more attention to it, as it may also be a sign of illness. If this problem occurs frequently, it is better to seek medical attention in time and not delay too long, which will delay treatment.