AboutSudesh Samuel Expertise I take questions relating to online healthcare news, community support, web research, medical travel and medical tourism, as well as online options for becoming more informed about medical conditions, drugs and treatments.
Experience I have researched and surfed the web extensively for high quality, reputed and up-to-date sources of healthcare information. I am a licenced and practicing pharmacist specialising in the provision of healthcare communications material and drug information. I have run a drug information service at a national, tertiary, teaching hospital where my duties included managing several pharmacists in the development of continual education, providing drug information throughout the hospital and analyzing new and existing drugs for inclusion into the hospital formulary. I have been involved in several healthcare committees including patient safety, adverse drug reaction monitoring, antibiotic guidelines as well as a pharmacy and therapeutics committee. I was an on-call pharmacist with the national drug and poisons information centre. My research focus has been on medication review and I have presented findings on a renal medication review service and also published a review article on halting the allergic march in the World Allergy Organization Journal.
Organizations Institute for Medication Management - http://www.medicationreview.net
Publications World Allergy Organization Journal, Vision Reborn, Medical Grapevine, National University Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Newsletter, National University Hospital Adverse Drug Reaction Newsletter, National Healthcare Group Adverse Drug Reaction Newsletter, suite101
Education/Credentials Master of Health Service Management, Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy with Honours
Question I constantly have a very salty taste in my mouth especially after eating, can you tell me why this is and have I got intolerance to salt ?
Answer Hi wayne, there are several different reasons that could lead to a consistent salty taste in the mouth. Intolerance to salt can arise depending on your diet, and physical condition. There are some who have improved their sense of taste simply by altering diet alone. Zinc deficiency may have a nutritional role to play the persistent salty taste. Another reason can be an infection, usually some form of upper respiratory tract, nasal or sinusitis-type infection which could lead to a consistent salty discharge reaching the tongue. Post-nasal drip and excessive tear fluid drained as well as excessive eyedrop use can result in salty fluid reaching the tongue bring on an overwhelming taste of saltiness. The bacterial type and content of the mouth may also have an effect on causing the salty taste. Other medical conditions like sjogren's syndrome (inadequate saliva production results) can also lead to altered taste sensation along with conditions that cause blockage of the salivary ducts. If you don't drink enough fluids, your saliva can become concentrated especially with salty substances. Taking dietary substances like caffeine or diuretic medications can also lead to the body expelling more water thereby leading to more concentrated saliva. Certain other medications can affect taste in a different way, one of which is terbinafine (or commonly known as lamisil), an antifungal oral medication that causes loss of taste in up to around 3% of those taking it and those particularly at risk are those above the age of 65 and who have a low body mass index. This relates to another potential cause of salty taste which is aging, taste sensations can change with age. A less likely cause may relate to a damaged or dysfunctional nerve that leads to the persistent taste. If the condition persists and is distressing, an investigation by a dentist or a medical evaluation of your nose and throat could be useful. Hope this helps.
