AFAIK that's why leaded paint is bad for children: it tastes sweet so they continue licking it/eating the chips of paint that fall off the wall

You’re conjuring an image of children licking walls, but just the dust from the flaking paint chips is harmful.

https://www.cdc.gov/lead-prevention/prevention/paint.html

Water from lead pipes must have tasted amazing

Ancient Romans used lead as a sweetener.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/sugar-of-lead-a-...

It’s why they added it to wine