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What's the cause of a sour taste in my mouth?

December 18, 2014

Jorge Metello from Brazil asked this question. Here is Dr. Lekutat‘s answer.

https://p.dw.com/p/1E71s
I sometimes have a sour taste in my mouth. What’s the cause?

[No title]

Having a sour taste in the mouth can be the first sign of heartburn. But unlike the name suggests, heartburn doesn’t come from your heart – it comes from your stomach. When gastric acid flows up the esophagus it causes a burning sensation in the chest, and therefore it can be mistaken for heart-pain. That’s where the name comes from. And if the gastric acid flows up into your mouth, it tastes sour. So you should see a doctor to get your stomach and your esophagus examined. Perhaps your GP will prescribe some anti-acids to get rid of that sour taste.