Do you suffer from heartburn or acid reflux disease? If so, you’re in good company. You may be surprised to discover that ten percent of Americans have acid reflux symptoms on a daily basis and more than four in ten have symptoms at least once a month. Although there are prescription medications to help with the symptoms of acid reflux disease, they don’t always provide complete relief. Sometimes, despite taking your prescription medications, you can experience those familiar symptoms of heartburn. Is there a way to get quick, natural acid relief?

Fortunately, the answer may be “yes”. The simple solution may lie with that inexpensive pack of gum you picked up at the drugstore. If you left your antacid at home, that five cent stick of gum may be the next best thing to help get heartburn symptoms under control. A study published in the medical journal Digestion confirmed this interesting natural acid relief treatment by giving ten volunteers a dilute solution of hydrochloric acid. It was found that giving the volunteers chewing gum helped to speed up the rate at which the acid was cleared from the esophagus, resulting in relief of heartburn pain.

Chewing gum for natural acid relief may work in other ways too. It helps to stimulate the flow of saliva which has an alkaline pH that can help neutralize the acidic pH of the hydrochloric acid found in the stomach. Chewing gum also stimulates swallowing so that stomach acid is diluted and more rapidly cleared from the esophagus so it can’t cause symptoms of acid reflux and heartburn.

Not surprisingly, the most famous chewing gum company of all, Wrigley’s, thought they had found a way to profit from this finding. Several years ago they sold an antacid chewing gum called Surpass which was designed for natural acid relief. Although a study published in Ailment Pharmacology Therapy showed that antacid gums such as this are superior to traditional chewable antacids, sales were slow and the product was discontinued. Nevertheless, you don’t need an antacid chewing gum to get symptom relief. Any chewing gum should help to some degree.

One warning. If you’re using non-antacid chewing gum for natural acid relief, it may be best to choose a flavor other than peppermint. Peppermint has been shown to lower esophageal sphincter pressure which could worsen the symptoms of acid reflux.

The next time you leave your antacids at home, never fear. Just reach for that packet of chewing gum and get ready to feel the relief.