Might sound a bit bonkers, but any reasons for the persistant 'minty' taste in my mouth?

[notnowbernard]

It feels like I have a minty, almost tingly taste in my mouth all the time (for about a week now)

Can feel it on my lips sometimes as well

I am at a loss, and Google no help... can't come up with anything!

(NOT pg, btw)

TIA!

I have this, have had it for years and appears to now be permanent. I've always blamed it on stress or menopause as I was experiencing both when it started, but I believe like PP says that it's due to reflux. Unfortunately neither PPIs nor liquid antacid seems to help. Thoroughly depressed so if anyone discovers a cure please post 🙏

I had this after COVID. Still do.

Hi everyone,
For those who seek medical help can you share your diagnosis?

I also feel like i constantly brushed my teeth with super minty toothpaste and nothing makes it go away. I tried changing our toothpaste as well. I’ve been feeling this for 2mos now. I am only 32y.o, i don't smoke or vape. I don’t think that i have GERD but i have allergic rhinitis.

Hi, I'm currently having the same issue and read it could be an impending heart attack and I'm constantly at my doctor trying to get them to look into heart related problems and keep being told it's not my heart, but my mam has heart issues now and has had two small heart attacks and my Grandad died of heart related issue. So I am a little paranoid about it, but it can also be nerve related damage apparently and I do have fibromyalgia (which I am afraid everything gets brushed off as when it's actually something else more sinister). It's burning my eyes. It's worse after I drink alcohol. I have really low iron at the moment. Should I go to the GP? I feel terrible going to the GP over minty sensation in mouth.

I've never liked mint, so here we are. It's been developing the last few days. I have had covid, the original big bad strain, but it left a different taste of adrenaline. This is unacceptable. I've done nothing differently than always, except recent changes in meds - I have advanced heart failure & refuse to die minty! Will be talking to my cardiologist next week. This is awful, as all the holiday treats are disgusting minty 🥺

I have a new theory for this minty nightmare and it seems to answer many questions and symptoms. Its called Auto-Brewery Syndrome. The reason why I came across this is because I notice on the days that I am particularly minty and freezing cold as a result of it, I also notice that my breath makes the room smell of alcohol when I haven't touched a drop of alcohol in weeks. It is quite strong and undeniable and I can't find any explanation other than this syndrome.

The cause of this syndrome seems to be due to gut issues, especially a fungus that causes carbs to turn into alcohol in the stomach, enough to make you a little tipsy, also low immune system.

Anyone else relate to this?

I thought my vape was the cause but I stopped and still get it. It happens more often after eating or drinking something. But you described it exactly how I tell people.

I thought maybe it was my Yeti mug, but I stopped using it, and still got it, although not as deeply or as often. 😣

Well, I have managed to disprove the auto brewery syndrome theory 😂 after using a breathalizer. That's how committed I am ha ha! It's interesting that every so often someone comes on saying they felt it was brought on by vaping/second hand vaping.

After having this minty nightmare for a year and a half now, I have to say that it seemed to be brought on by second hand vaping but now I get the cold feeling wash over me when I am exposed to any synthetic chemical, even if I open a new book or pad or around cleaning chemicals and certain kind of vape. I also get it after eating and drinking. It seems to be a sensitivity that has developed out of an exposure to a chemical (maybe in vapes or something else), can't be exactly sure what and unfortunately, I don't know if it is going to go away. What I will say is though, and I hope this is some comfort to any newbies, you do kind of get used to it and I suppose it's not as bad as before but frustrating AF. I find when the feeling comes on, I try to move around and be active and it kind of helps.

Anyway all the best to my fellow sufferers of this uncharted ailment. Maybe one day we will get a conclusive answer.

Have you had your iron levels checked ??? This is what gave me the same
sensation ! Plz get it checked and let me know !

Iron level ! Pls ask your doctor to chdck your blood and get your iron leveled checked !! This is what gave me the same sensations your describing!!!

I created this account to reply to this lol I had the issue for
YEARS! To the point my tongue burns 24/7 ! It turned out to be because of my iron levels. I have had iron deficiency anemia for over a year now. Trying to find out the cause. I have had colonoscopy and been checking for cancers since iron deficiency anemia is a sure sign of cancer- ( internal bleeding) but also can be caused from heavy periods , pregnancies n so on .

I'm having bloodwork done the 18th, I'll know then, thx!

Hi, thanks for this insight. There could be a link cos I too have problems with anemia from time to time. Interesting, I had some blood work done a few times last year for gastro reasons, so I'll try to find out if iron was checked too and report back. P.S did your cold/mint sensations improve with treatment or iron supplements?

Hello - another sufferer here.

This isn't the first time I have had this, it seems to come and go, but this most recent bout I think has been going on for a good couple of weeks. Have a GP appointment next week, and have been taking an anti reflux medicine since last Thursday, but I don't think it has made any difference.

It's driving me batty.

Hi. I've had this, on and off, for such a long time - well over a decade. A few years ago (pre-covid?) I got this checked out (in as far as you can get 'minty menthol taste in mouth and burning eyes' checked out by a GP without them thinking you totally mad) and was referred to my dentist, who checked for hidden cavities etc. I haven't got any reason to suspect reflux but I do have IBS (constipation type) and suffer from bloating.

When I have it badly, it's unbearable. My whole mouth is tingly menthol-tasting, I feel like I'm breathing out mentholated fumes, my EYES sting with it ... nasal passages. It makes me feel a bit sick, and I can feel it a bit in my oesophagus. So I suppose it could be reflux...

The really odd thing is that I can set it off. A mint tea is lethal for that, I now avoid mint tea like the plague! Yesterday I got a tub of a muscle rub from a small company, it's a bit like Tiger Balm, I suppose. I have sciatica and some reviews seemed to think it helped. (spoilers: I only used it the once but I don't think it does.) It contains various essential oils including wintergreen, eucalyptus and menthol. I obviously didn't eat it, I rubbed it onto my joints. It's just possible I might have touched something I then ate, with fingers that had a tiny bit of balm on. Anyway, within an hour my methylated taste was back with a vengeance and I am so pissed off about it. Right now, I have stingy fumes up my throat and my eyes feel a bit stingy too, and this horrible mint taste in my mouth.

After several months of mine disappearing it's back again this week and seems worse than ever. The doctor prescribed me lansoprazole back in October, but we went away a couple of weeks ago and I missed a couple of doses, so I'm wondering if that's why? Been taking it religiously though since the start of this week and it's getting worse if anything. 😵‍💫
It's driving me up the wall.

Just wanted to say, I’ve started the acid watcher diet in the hope it might tackle this. I also contacted the doctor for a follow up appointment so will get that booked in ASAP. Interestingly, on the acid watcher diet, @DaughterOfSqualor, mint is not allowed, in any form! Just thought it was worth mentioning as you said mint was a trigger and it’s defo listed in the book as an issue!

How did you get on with the acid watcher diet? I have this same thing, have had it for a few months. I think it might be burning mouth syndrome, but not sure. It’s awful.

The diet did make a difference. I did it back in the spring. I’m not following it anywhere near as strictly now, but have made various changes (massively reduced my caffeine intake, cut right back on sparkling water, and generally more aware of processed foods etc). I hesitate to say it, but the minty taste seems to have gone and I’m just having occasional acid reflux, but it’s not as bad. I did also go for a gastroscopy which showed some very minor inflammation, but no issues of concern.

Thanks so much for that update, very interesting. I think I will have to give it a go.