My sister, Susan DeBenedette of Tucson, Arizona, found this out the hard way.
Their healthcare providers wrote them aprescription for Paxlovid.
Soon enough, they both experienced Paxlovid mouth.
Malte Mueller/Getty
The lingering taste due to Paxlovid has been described as metallic,bitter, or like grapefruit gone bad.
One writer called it a disgusting, invisible monster that occupies your entire mouth for five straight days.
The metallic taste varied in intensity during the day, Sue told Verywell.
I wouldnt say it was sickening.
It was just annoying.
What Makes Paxlovid Taste Bad?
Paxlovid is a combination of two different antiviral medications: nirmatrelvir and ritonavir.
For most people, each dose consists of two 150-mg tablets of nirmatrelvir and one 100-mg tablet of ritonavir.
So, which medication is the culprit?
People taking it for HIV often report experiencing dysgeusia while theyre being treated.
Chemotherapy drugs also often cause ametallic taste in the mouth.
Rob wasnt so lucky.
Nothing made me feel better.
Nothing, he said.
The bad taste is pretty bad, but the medications are definitely worth it.
Brushing your teeth or using mouthwash wont usually help with the dysgeusia.
Some people have said that sucking on strongly flavored candies helps.
Shankaran said that these candies can increase saliva production, which may help control the bad taste.
Something with a strong taste can help distract from the taste with the medication, she said.
Dont Discontinue Treatment
Despite the bad taste, Sue said that she never considered stopping Paxlovid.
Shankaran stressed that the benefits of Paxlovid make it well worth putting up with the taste for five days.
The drug has been very effective at decreasing the severity of a COVID infection.
Theyll prevent you from going to the hospital or getting a severe infection.
If you experience Paxlovid mouth, dont stop taking the drug.
For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.
Pfizer.Fact sheet for healthcare providers: emergency use authorization for Paxlovid.
McDonald EG, Lee TC.Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir for COVID-19.CMAJ.
2022 Feb 14;194(6):E218.
2023 Nov 19;682:138-140. doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.10.001.
Epub 2023 Oct 2
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Paxlovid fact sheet for patients, parents, and caregivers.
