The Cause of Bitter Mouth When Pregnant and How to Overcome it
Pregnancy often comes with many changes in a woman's body, one in the mouth. Most pregnant women often complain of a bitter taste in the mouth that makes it lose appetite. So, what causes a bitter mouth during pregnancy and how to solve it?
A bitter mouth during pregnancy often occurs in the early trimester of pregnancy. This condition is generally caused by hormonal changes during pregnancy. Keep in mind, a bitter mouth during pregnancy can disappear by itself. This condition sometimes makes some pregnant women lose appetite, thus affecting the development of the fetus in the womb. In addition to hormonal changes, there are other causative factors that can make the mouth feel bitter during pregnancy.
Cause of Bitter Mouth in Pregnancy
Here are some of the causes of bitter mouths during pregnancy:
- Gear issues
Are you the kind of person who is lazy to brush your teeth? If so, maybe this is the cause. An irregular brushing of teeth means to have accumulated bacteria in his mouth, causing problems with teeth, such as gingivitis and dental infections. This is what makes your mouth feel bitter. For that, pregnant women are advised to clean the teeth regularly to reduce the buildup of bacteria in the mouth. - Morning sickness
The bitter mouth during pregnancy is also closely related to morning sickness during pregnancy . So far there is no definite cause for the association between morning sickness and bitter mouth during pregnancy, but it is suspected it is influenced by pregnancy hormones that make a taste disorder on the tongue.
- Stomach acid disease
This disease is also called gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD . This condition occurs when the rise of stomach acid and digestive enzymes from the stomach to the esophagus (esophagus). The main cause of reflux of stomach acid is the weakness of the lower muscle of the esophagus that serves to keep food and stomach acid does not rise into the esophagus. Risk factors for this disorder are the habit of lying down after eating, eating spicy foods, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and stress.
- Taking multivitamin supplements
Pregnant women are required to meet nutritional needs including vitamins and minerals during pregnancy, especially folic acid and iron. However, one of the side effects of pregnant supplements that contain iron that can cause the mouth to feel bitter.
- Taking drugs
Often pregnant women are given vitamins or certain drugs by obstetricians to support the health of the mother and fetus. However, in some cases, certain drug side effects can cause the tongue to taste bitter. Usually a bitter taste in the mouth does not last long and will disappear by itself. - Inhaling certain substances
Another reason the mouth is bitter during pregnancy is inhaling certain substances. When you often inhale a substance that contains mercury or lead, it could be your mouth will turn to feel bitter. Therefore, pregnant women are advised to avoid causal factors, such as cigarette smoke.
Different Ways to Overcome Bitter Taste While Pregnant
In general, there is no specific treatment to remove bitter mouth during pregnancy. However, there are several ways you can try at home to remove the condition, including:
- Drink plenty of water and chew sugar-free gum. This is done to increase your saliva production.
- Limit fatty and spicy foods that can trigger acid reflux.
- Consumption of fruits containing vitamin C. Sour flavor can help remove bitter mouth
- Try eating smaller but more often, and chew slowly.
- Avoid exposure to cigarette smoke and alcoholic beverages.
- Keep your oral hygiene well and routinely check your dental health to the doctor once every 6 months.
- Use mouthwash or mouthwash to remove bitter taste in the mouth.
If the mouth is bitter when pregnant does not disappear with the steps mentioned above, immediately consult a doctor. It could be that the condition is caused by a more serious medical condition, such as diabetes mellitus, thus requiring treatment and treatment from a doctor.
