Since 1995 - Non Profit Healthcare Advice

Milky saliva

05/19/2008

Question:

My saliva has a slight thickness to it, and it tastes milky. The color appears normal. Is this something i should worry about?

Answer:

It is difficult to say what the problem is without doing an examination. There is a condition known as “burning mouth syndrome” that actually represents what is called a sensory neuropathy. In other words, the nerves that transmit information about our senses seem to send messages back to the brain that are incorrect. While a burned sensation (which means the nerves that transmit pain messages are affected) is the aspect of this condition that causes most people with burning mouth syndrome to seek care, other nerves that can be affected include those that carry information related to taste or texture.

It may be that you have involvement of these latter two components. When the nerves that carry information about taste are affected, the patient may have a decreased ability to taste or may develop what are called “taste phantoms” – usually a bitter, salty or metallic taste. It may be that the “milky” taste is a taste phantom. The “thickness” that you feel may be a sign that the nerves that carry information about texture have been affected. Patients with the texture component may complain that their mouths feel too dry, too wet, slimy, like cat hair, like Velcro, like cotton, etc. The diagnosis of burning mouth syndrome should be confirmed by an oral pathologist.

For more information about burning mouth syndrome, you want to visit the website http://aaomp.org.  

Related Resources:

Burning Mouth Syndrome (AAOMP)
Burning Mouth Syndrome

For more information:

Go to the Dental and Oral Health (Adults) health topic.