Controlling Heartburn With Lifestyle Changes

Cigarette smoking inhibits the production of saliva. Saliva is one of your body's defenses against damage to the esophagus. There are acid-neutralizing chemicals in saliva, called bicarbonates. Bicarbonates help to neutralize stomach acid. The saliva of smokers contains smaller amounts of bicarbonates, thus reducing the ability of the saliva to neutralize the acid Saliva also bathes the esophagus and lessens the effects of acid that has refluxed up from the stomach, and helps by washing the acid back down to the stomach. Read this article to learn other ways smoking can worsen heartburn.

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