I found this post on Tim Samoff’s blog that claims Extra Classic Bubble Gum cures acid reflux for him and his wife:
… after popping a piece of the Extra Classic Bubble flavored gum into our mouths and beginning to chew, our reflux (yes, for both of us) was almost completely diminished! We were pleasantly shocked by this, but thought it might only be a one-time thing. But, after testing this “cure†on several different occasions, we came to find that our long-time search for a reflux remedy had landed us on the Extra bubble gum! …
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My mom suffers from acid reflux – I’ll have to have her try this and tell us if it works for her. She does chew gum, but her favorite is Juicy Fruit (which, for me, is good for about 30 seconds only). Tim also links to a Google Search that indicates chewing gum is known to help with acid reflux, though Tim claims only Extra Bubble Gum works for him and his wife. Has anyone else tried this remedy and did it work for you?
Scientifically I think its actually the opposite… You are stimulating your body into thinking you are ‘eating’ when you chew gum, and I think it can cause some reflux… Excessive saliva ingestion.
May 20th, 2006 at 8:52 pmIt’s the excessive saliva that “washes” the acid out of the esophagus and back into the stomach, providing temporary relief of symptoms.
May 23rd, 2006 at 9:55 amIt would be interesting to find out what it is that is giving them prolonged relief (for example, calcium carbonate as an anti-stickiness additive?), and if it works for anyone else.
Well I just want to know how to cure it because I am in constant pain throughout the day. Is there any other way to demolish it?
July 2nd, 2006 at 8:35 pmI have been suffering with flux for some time now and finally hit the internet. What I found that is helping me is baking soda, it was nice for a day or two to not suffer and be in as much pain.
January 14th, 2008 at 2:47 pmI have to concur with the fact that gum chewing unequivocally WORKS. I had been on Nexium once a day for years and could never go more than 1 1/2 days without taking a pill before things would flare up. After checking with my doctor I employed all of the diet and lifestyle recommendations he gave to get off of the meds, even kept a health journal and found a measure of relief in doing so but the condition was still there even when I was not eating anything. “Excessive saliva ingestion” mentioned earlier, does NOT cause acid but actually creates a more alkaline environment in the stomach. I did my own research on the subject and saliva contains natural bicarbonate (an ingredient in antacid tablets) and works to balance out the acid after digestion. Chewing the gum increases saliva without adding any carbs/proteins to the stomach to be broken down. This has worked for me, which is not to say that I should go back to eating however I want. Sugarless is best too…for the teeth.
February 20th, 2008 at 1:43 pmActually.. I tend to have worse acid reflux when I eat sugary candy and alot of the times it happens with gum.
March 17th, 2008 at 3:23 amI was diagnosed with acid reflux while still in highschool and have been battling it ever since! I find that aspertame and sorbitol really aggrivate my stomach, but ‘bubble gum’ flavored gum seems to work well in helping my discomfort, especially on an empty stomach. I’m also a candy fiend, and I find that eating certain candy, like licorice allsorts really helps too! It’s the best of both worlds… I have an excuse for eating candy! I was taking acid-inhibitor drugs, but now I can regulate my symptoms with dietary control.
August 12th, 2008 at 12:42 pmTim is right!
August 12th, 2008 at 9:09 pmChewing extra bubble gum works for me
to help with my acid reflux!
It’s great stuff!!!
I’ve suffered from acid reflux as well as stomach ulcers for years. I’ve been to no less than 5 doctors regarding my ulcers do to relocations for work. It is amazing how each doctor’s suggested treatment was identical to the previous doctor’s. As far as the GERD (acid reflux), I’ve been to several doctors all prescribing Prilosec. I will tell you that none of the acid reflux medications have worked for me. After spending thousands of dollars for “medical treatment” I finally decided to research my problems myself. Through my research I discovered that acid reflux is often mis-diagnosed by medical professionals. To understand why, we must first understand what acid is. Acid is the opposite of alkaline on the pH scale. Although alkali is its opposite it has the same effects on human tissue. Therefore a proper diagnosis cannot be made without a pH test. The medical “industry” has no such test for acid reflux. If a diagnosis of acid reflux is given and the patient’s pH balance is actually more alkali then the acid reflux medicine prescribed will actually make the problem worse by making an already alkali pH even more alkali. I’m sure you have already heard about the apple cider vinegar cure. Vinegar is an acid and therefore will not cure true acid reflux however if the patient is actually suffering from alkaline reflux, vinegar will lower the pH and have tremendous results. Ovbiously the confusion lies in that no medical terminology is yet available for “alkaline reflux”. I can tell you that I was one of the millions that was mis-diagnosed and have found relief from the apple cider vinegar cure.
August 31st, 2008 at 6:03 pmWell I think the answer is no, at least for me. Gum can bring temporary relief but not a permanent cure I think.
December 19th, 2008 at 4:53 amI’ve dealt with acid reflux for most of my life. I’ve found that constantly I’m chewing gum. At first I heard it was bad for you, but I had never experienced any negativity with it. Now seeing how it’s helped other people it makes perfect sense why I enjoy chewing it so often.
January 24th, 2011 at 3:08 pm