Are Acid Reflux and Bad Breath Related?

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Acid reflux and bad breath sometimes happen together and can cause you a lot of embarrassment. Imagine having heartburn after lunch and then having to give a presentation only to have the people nearest to you back away or tune out what you’re saying because of your bad breath.

Or imagine the embarrassment of acid reflux and bad breath during a date. There are many instances when acid reflux and bad breath can occur and none of them are ideal. There is a natural non-medicated way to achieve fresh breath. Medication for acid reflux is only a temporary fix and will not solve the problem in the long term.

Understanding the Problem

What do you think your acid juices taste like? If you have acid reflux you probably have a good idea. Every time your esophagus opens up and allows your stomach juices to enter your mouth you can taste that awful bitter liquid. Remember that taste and smell are connected; your sense of smell helps you to taste things. So if something tastes good it is likely to smell good, the opposite is true as well.

Once you have had an attack of acid reflux you are going to have bad breath. Add to this the conventional wisdom that what you eat influences how your breath smells and you can understand better why acid reflux and bad breath go together. Foods that cause bad breath can also cause acid reflux, eliminating or reducing these foods can help you improve an acid reflux and bad breath problem.

Small Changes

Antacids will help you with acid reflux and thus eliminate the problem of bad breath but do you really want to rely on medication all the time? Acid reflux and bad breath can be cured with small changes to your lifestyle rather than drastic ones. If you love spicy and garlic filled foods and eat them often it might be time to cut out these foods and only eat them in small portions occasionally.

Exercise is also a great thing to incorporate into your daily life. If you complain that you have no time to go to the gym then find ways of slipping it into your everyday life. Whether that’s using the stairs instead of the lift at work or walking your dog instead of hiring someone. Weight loss can help you solve the problem of heart burn so some extra exercise will no doubt help your acid reflux and bad breath problem.

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