Gastroesophogeal Reflux Disease, also known as GERD, affects a number of people worldwide. Many suffer from it, but because of its elusive symptoms, and the fact that you can have a bad case of it without having all the manor symptoms, makes it very difficult to treat. Scientists have only recently begun to understand the causes and symptoms, and there’s still a lot of research to be done.

The symptoms of reflux vary considerably, but tend to include dry cough, habitual throat clearing, hoarseness, a feeling like one has a “lump in the throat”, heartburn, and a sour taste in the mouth.

One symptom of GERD that patients commonly experience is chronic bad breath. To understand how GERD causes bad breath, we have to take a look at the condition itself. GERD is a condition that occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter, which is kind of a “stopper” for the stomach, doesn’t close properly. This causes the contents of the stomach to leak back, or reflux, into the esophagus, which carries food from the mouth to the stomach. This causes a sour, salty and very acidic taste in the back of the throat, which shortly turns into chronic bad breath.

Patients who suffer from GERD feel this bad taste all day long. Even extremely vigilant oral health care and a solid regimen of breath freshening products don’t seem to help. Many report that the bad taste and the bad breath return almost immediately after brushing.

Unfortunately, the only way to combat bad breath associated with gastro esophageal reflux are the measures used to treat the disease itself, many of which are common ways to stop bad breath for other reasons. Here are some measures doctors recommend to alleviate symptoms:

· Avoid foods and drinks like coffee, tea cola beverages, citrus drinks, fatty foods, spicy foods, onions, peppermint and chocolate. These foods can lower the lower the pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter.

Avoid foods and drinks like coffee, tea cola beverages, citrus drinks, fatty foods, spicy foods, onions, peppermint and chocolate. These foods can lower the lower the pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter.
· Avoid NSAID medications, which are non-steroidal inflammatory agents like aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen. Other medications used to treat asthma and high blood pressure can also increase pressure on the LES.

Avoid NSAID medications, which are non-steroidal inflammatory agents like aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen. Other medications used to treat asthma and high blood pressure can also increase pressure on the LES.
· Avoid eating for 3-4 hours before going to bed.

Avoid eating for 3-4 hours before going to bed.
· Elevate the head of your bed, by putting 4-6 inch blocks under the head of the bed. This lets gravity work in your favor.

Elevate the head of your bed, by putting 4-6 inch blocks under the head of the bed. This lets gravity work in your favor.
· Eat smaller, more frequent meals.

Eat smaller, more frequent meals.
· Avoid alcohol and cigarettes.

Avoid alcohol and cigarettes.
It’s important to remember that even if one were to follow all the measures taken above, in combinations with the many medications used to treat the problem, bad breath is one of the most persistent symptoms, and it may take up to three months of treatment before it goes away with the other symptoms. Medicines such as Prevacid and Prilosec block or slow down acid production in the stomach, and so the material that reaches the esophagus through reflux will be less acidic and less irritating, but the bad breath might still persist.