Some, like smoking and poor dental hygiene, are avoidable.

Others, like hormone changes and aging, are not.

Some medications and other treatments may also cause a sour taste.

Verywell / Laura Porter

This article discusses these and other possible causes of a sour taste in your mouth.

It also discusses how to find out what’s causing it and how it can be treated.

Any change in your taste perception is calleddysgeusia.

It is one of several conditions that affect your sense of taste.

Other disorders include theloss of tastesensitivity (hypogeusia)and the completeloss of taste(ageusia).

This is independent of the hormonal changes discussed above and can happen in both men and women.

People often say it’s “strange,” “off,” or simply “bad.”

GERD can also causeheartburn,chest pain, and aburning feeling in your throat.

A sinus infection orphlegmfrom a bad cough can also give you an off taste in your mouth.

Can COVID Cause a Sour Mouth?

Pine Nut Syndrome

This condition causes a bitter taste one to three days after eatingpine nuts.

Sometimes, it can linger for weeks.

Anxiety and Stress

Mental health conditions likeanxietycan change your sense of taste.

Your brain is integral to the taste experience.

Some people with brain injuries getphantom taste or smell sensations.

This may also occur after brain surgery.

Lead poisoningalso causes symptoms like fatigue, trouble concentrating, and memory loss.

More than 200 different drugs can cause a bitter taste in the mouth.

If there is no obvious cause or the symptom persists, see your healthcare provider.

They may want to look inside your mouth and run some tests, depending on what causes they suspect.

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