My wife suffers from a foul taste in her mouth that wakes her up at night

700AM GMT fifteen March 2010

Comments 1 |

Waking with a nasty ambience in the mouth is not odd Photo ALAMY

Dear Readers" Clinic

For five years, my mother has suffered from a tainted ambience in the mouth that wakes her up during the night. She complains that her mouth feels dry, and she spasmodic suffers from bruise rags inside it. Her sinuses have been checked and are fine. Her dentist has found no infections. Please can you help?

The drug I am receiving for my skin problems have me feel indisposed Readers Clinic Readers Clinic Readers Clinic Calling all queries Lifecoach mouth ulcers

Mr I W, Leeds

Dr Neil Bateman, an ear, nose and throat specialist, replies

Dear I W

Waking with a nasty ambience in the mouth is not uncommon, nonetheless it can be formidable to establish the cause. Dental and/or sinus problems are customarily responsible.

As these have been ruled out in your wife"s case, gastro-oesophageal reflux (GORD) should be considered, quite as it has been related to bruise rags in the verbal form and the throat. This can start but the pick symptoms classically compared with it, majority typically heartburn. It might be beneficial to try an over-the-counter digestive remedy (such as Gaviscon) to see if it works, but you should lift the probability of GORD with your GP.

You don"t contend just where the tenderness is. Inflammation of the tongue, for example, is called glossitis, and there are a series of probable causes. If there are white or red rags on the tongue or in the mouth that last longer than dual or 3 weeks, a biopsy might be compulsory to order out some-more critical causes.

There is a condition well known as geographic tongue, in that lifted red rags on the tongue migrate, giving it the pick name "migratory glossitis". While it can means soreness, it is in all soft and mostly settles spontaneously. In a little patients, internal steroid treatment, in the form of mouthwashes or pastilles, can be helpful.

Another intensity means of a bruise mouth is a scarcity of iron, vitamin B, vitamin B12, folate, thiamine or zinc.

Although your dentist has released any dental disease, a little patients humour memorable mishap in their mouths caused by contingent satirical of the soft tissues. This customarily appears on the sides of the tongue where there is mishap from molar teeth.

Your wife"s problems could branch from a greeting to a member of toothpaste or mouthwash, so it might be value experimenting with the assorted brands to see if it creates a difference. Other irritants, such as ethanol and tobacco smoke, can means serious soreness, whilst a little patients with glossitis inform that citrus fruits and sharp dishes can appear to have things worse.

There are a series of skin conditions that can additionally benefaction with bruise patches. If your mother has any story of skin problems, it would be value referring to this to your doctor.

If all this fails to help, afterwards the majority critical thing is to keep well hydrated, say glorious dental hygiene with unchanging flossing as well as brushing, and have certain that your diet is balanced, with copiousness of fruit. Some people find uninformed pineapple quite beneficial with bad tastes and smells in the mouth.

* Dr Neil Bateman is a expert ENT surgeon at the Royal Hallamshire and Sheffield Children"s Hospitals

Got a question?

Do you have a health-related regard and are not certain what to do about it? Are you battling with a paltry ache? Do you wish to know how to lose weight or benefit muscle? Are you carrying difficulty sleeping? Do you need ideas on how to understanding with the every day stresses of operative life? Email us right away at clinic@telegraph.co.uk, with an outline of your health or wellbeing problem, your full name, residence and hit phone series (although these will not be published). The Readers" Clinic is incompetent to give particular replies, or understanding with each enquiry received.