Chronic salty taste

Absolutely, we will share it with each other. Our conditions sound identical. Okay, so I can rule out trying Neurotin. It is great for certain things, but not what we have. Ibuprofen does not help at all either. I do wear my retainer at times. Every now and then I think it helps for a while. The melts that stick to our gums help at night when I go to bed. But nothing can be taken in excess or it seems to make it worse. I saw two ENT's, two Oral Surgeons, 5 dentists, an orthadontist and medical doctors. It is sooo expensive even with good insurance. The co pays and deductibles are ridiculous and then to constantly hear they don't know what it is. I am just done.

It’s my understanding that the taste issue is not inside the mouth though that is where it manifests. But, no one seems to know much about it.

@celia16 Yes, I read that it can actually be caused by an issue with the cranial nerves but I'm not sure what would help that or even how they could diagnose it. One doctor put me on gabapentin which helps with nerve issues didn't do anything for me so I weaned myself off of it.

Hi everyone, I posted about six months ago about a chronic salty taste, and unfortunately it’s still here. It’s becoming really debilitating and so depressing. My tongue also feels extremely dry, as if it’s been rubbed with sandpaper. I no longer have the normal slimy coating I used to have.
Whenever I move my tongue around my mouth, the salty taste intensifies dramatically. My husband says my saliva doesn’t taste salty at all, so I guess it’s a phantom taste? I have no idea, but it’s incredibly upsetting and I’m struggling with it. 🙁

@jobaab I know exactly how you are feeling. I've been dealing with either a very salty taste or a sour/bitter taste depending on the day. Have you been diagnosed with Sjorgren's Disease? I have it and it decreases your saliva but all the remedies that normally help have not helped me. I've used rinses, sprays, special toothpaste, drinking lots of water, avoiding certain foods and even trying to prescription medications that increase saliva. Yesterday I actually made popcorn from kernels and did not put a drop of salt on them and it tasted as if I had salted it. The doctors are baffled. Some think it's dry mouth that just doesn't respond to the normal treatments and another one thinks it's neurological. Chewing Trident gum which has xylitol masks the taste but I get tired of chewing gum all day. I recently started 60mg of duloxetine (Cymbalta) once a day. It has taken the edge off the saltiness but it has by no means cured anything. Have to been to the dentist to get their opinion?

Hi , Thanks for replying to me post. It's helpful commiserating with others who are dealing with the same thing. I don't think I have Sjorgren's because I have no other symptoms other than dry mouth/tongue and terrible taste. My next step will be a trip to the neurologist I suppose. The ENT knew nothing, nor did my OBGYN or dentist. I also chew Trident Sugarless Bubble Gum and I use the Xylitol Mints as well. I also bought the Coral Toothpaste with Xylitol & Nano Silver Foam, which is as helpful as the bubble gum. I recommend you try this. The mint is best I think. Unlike you, when I eat, there is no salty taste and my mouth appears normal. It's only when there is nothing in my mouth that it is dry and tastes salty. When I move my tongue around in my mouth, especially under the tongue, I experience the most salty taste. It is utterly baffling. 🙁

@jobaab , me too. Before it became salty it was bitter….similar to a nut shell. Like if you accidentally bit into a pecan shell. I guess salty is better than that.

I requested my neurologist order an MRI, but it was normal. He just looked stumped. Neurologist #2 was the one who diagnosed me with B12 deficiency and about the same time ENT with post covid because my smell was practically gone.

Have you taken a smell test or had an MRI?

I haven't had any tests at all. I did go to the ENT, but she was clueless. My issue began after 5 weeks in of wearing Invisalign, which I loathed. It was a very stressful time for me because I hated the idea of wearing them. It was uncomfortable and life altering. At the 5 week mark, I woke up with this incredibly salty taste under my tongue. It was bizarre and I couldn't figure it out. My entire mouth tased salty. Then my tongue started feeling rough. My saliva was not being produced normally. I attributed it to the aligners somehow affecting my saliva production. I stopped wearing the aligners at that point. This was back in Sept. of 2025 but the salty taste has persisted till today, along with the rough and dry tongue and mouth. I know others have experienced something called burning mouth syndrome (BMS) after a stressful dental procedure, but my mouth doesn't burn, so I have no idea if this could be BMS. I am baffled. The salty and bitter taste is annoying, aggravating, unpleasant... Terrible not necessarily, but certainly life changes and upsetting. The dry mouth is uncomfortable and i have to use the XyliMelts and gum throughout the day. I belong to the Facebook Group called Burning Mouth Syndrome. Perhaps you might find it helpful to commiserate with others going through something similar. I wish there was a cure.

@jobaab , I also had extensive dental work months before my taste issue began…..perhaps 5 months before. So…..idk if there’s any connection. I have read about BMS though and read that the sensation is not always burning….there can be other sensations….so…..idk. A mystery….

@celia16 What do they do when you have a smell test? The neurologist asked me if I had ever had one and when I said no, he told me that next time I see my ENT I should ask for one. I doubt that it will show anything since I don't seem to have any issue with my smell or taste while I am eating.....except for salty things. As you know, it's the rest of the day that my taste is awful. I actually have to say though, that since I started the duloxetine (Cymbalta), the frequency of an overwhelming salty taste all day has gone down at least 20-30% which is good, but the sour taste is still there. I have a couple of tests left to do with the neurologist and then we have a conference in May to go over all the results!! Hope you are doing as well as possible.