Your tooth starts to hurt and you’re pretty sure you have a cavity. Several questions start to linger: Do you have to get it taken care of right away? Will it get better on its own? Will it get worse, and is there a way to prevent it from getting worse? To understand the answers, first you need to know what a cavity is, and then you can take several steps to help improve the situation.
What Is a Cavity?
A cavity is a tiny hole in the tooth that slowly expands over time. A cavity is caused by decay that occurs when acid eats away at the protective enamel on the tooth’s surface. Once that enamel is gone, the cavity slowly eats away at the rest of the tooth. Eventually, the cavity hits the blood vessels and nerves in the tooth, which is when you start to feel pain.
The best thing to do when you have a cavity is to go to the dentist to get it filled. However, if you can’t go immediately, there are some things you can do in the meantime to prevent the cavity from worsening.
Preventing a Cavity From Getting Worse
Keep in mind that these steps will not get rid of the cavity. Cavities don’t go away on their own. Cavities slowly expand to the point where they can move into the pulp and pulp chamber of your tooth, causing you pain – which could eventually lead to needing a root canal. Therefore, try to get to the dentist as soon as you notice a cavity. Don’t wait to feel the pain.
Brush Carefully
Everyone knows that brushing is vital to keeping teeth and gums healthy. If you have a cavity, it becomes even more important. Brushing at least twice a day helps prevent getting even more cavities. When you’re brushing, focus on the cavity, trying to remove any food particles.
Stay Hydrated
When your mouth is very dry, it allows bacteria to accumulate, which can cause cavities. Drinking lots of water will help keep your mouth moist and stop additional cavities from forming.
Use Fluoride
Fluoride prevents bacteria from multiplying and builds enamel, which helps make teeth as strong as possible to prevent cavities from forming. If you’re able to identify a cavity early on and apply a fluoride treatment, it can help slow the tooth decay.
Rinse With Salt Water
Salt water has been used for years to treat infections and wounds. It is effective because of its antiseptic properties. Salt water can also help destroy bacteria that cause cavities. As soon as you feel a cavity coming on, swish with salt water to help slow its expansion.
Avoid Refined Sugars
The worst possible thing someone can do if they have a cavity is to expose it to acid, since it can make the cavity worse. Cavities expand if they are surrounded by the acid in sugar. Therefore, if you have a cavity, you should try to avoid sugary foods and beverages. If you do happen to indulge in something sugary, rinse out your mouth with water immediately afterward. Better yet, brush your teeth and floss to slow the rate of tooth decay.
Chew Xylitol Gum
Chewing gum that contains Xylitol can actually do wonders for your mouth. Xylitol is a natural alcohol that destroys bacteria and fights off infections. If you chew gum that contains Xylitol after eating, it can help prevent the formation of cavities. But again, once you have a cavity, nothing can reverse the decay.
Daily tooth brushing along with flossing are the most important actions you can take to ward off bad breath. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), if you neglect to brush and floss daily, food particles can linger in your mouth, causing bad breath. So, it's recommended to brush two times a day for at least two minutes.
Today, flossing has become an integral part of daily oral care and the American Dental Association recommends you floss once daily at least. Correct flossing after each meal consistently cuts down on plaque, bacteria and odor-causing food particles. Flossing helps stop periodontal disease as well, another cause of bad breath.
Clean Your Tongue
Cleaning your tongue can effectively decrease halitosis-causing compounds. These compounds form on your tongue and in your mouth when bacteria and amino acids combine, emitting an unpleasant sulfur-like smell. So cleaning your tongue regularly is important in fighting halitosis. Products like tongue cleaner, remove up to 96 percent more odor causing bacteria to eliminate bad breath.
Eat Healthy
It's common knowledge that certain foods like raw onion or garlic cause bad breath. Such foods, when ingested and excreted by the lungs, cause halitosis. But avoiding acidic foods (like vinegar) or high-fructose foods (like sugary cereal) cuts down on bad breath too. Both acids and sugars increase production of bacteria and bad breath.
Instead, choose a diet that curbs intestinal upset and odor-causing bacteria. According to Aetna, you should moderate your sugar intake and choose foods that increase saliva flow, including:
Whole grains like brown rice
Dark green and orange vegetables
A variety of fruits and
Proteins such as fish, beans, nuts or seeds.
Use a Mouthrinse
Use a mouthrinse after every meal like Colgate® Total Advanced Pro Shield™, which helps reduce plaque and gingivitis and freshens breath. Mouthrinse alone is not an effective remedy but should be used in addition to regular brushing and flossing.
Use Traditional Remedies
Home treatments passed down over the years are a good complement to your daily dental care. Herbs such as fennel, for example, have long been used in some cultures as a breath sweetener. Fennel increases saliva production, and contains numerous antibacterial properties, and a few sprigs will do the trick after or between meals.
Fresh breath is a sign of a healthy mouth, and a healthy mouth is often a good indication of your overall health. These home remedies for bad breath are habits you can take up in your own home, and they're integral to fighting and preventing the underlying causes of bad breath.
Mouth infections come in a wide variety and range from minor to potentially life threatening. Some mouth infections are avoidable by practicing good oral hygiene and last only a few days. Other infections are more severe and can last much longer, requiring medicine or surgery. There are many different types of mouth infections, but these are some of the most common that are seen in both adults and children:
1. Dental Caries is the medical term for cavities, or tooth decay. This happens when bacteria from residual sugars and carbohydrates in the mouth produce acid that eats away at a tooth’s enamel and it’s underlying layer, called dentin. Caries caught in the early stages can be reversed, although if not treated quickly, the decay can eat away at the tooth down to the root.
2. Gingivitis is a gum disease that occurs when plaque builds up on the teeth and causes inflammation of the surrounding gum tissue. Plaque is a naturally occurring bacteria-filled film that sticks to the teeth and produces toxins that irritates the gums. Your gums can become red, puffy, and bleed and if not treated, can become periodontitis.
3. Periodontitis is a serious gum disease that damages the soft tissue and destroys the bone that supports your teeth. Plaque buildup causes slow deterioration and can cause loss of teeth if not treated. There are three main types of periodontitis – chronic, aggressive, and necrotizing. When left untreated, periodontitis can enter your bloodstream and affect other parts of your body.
4. Thrush is a condition that occurs when yeast-shaped fungus overgrows on the tongue and in the mouth. While anyone can get thrush, it’s most common in infants and older adults – people with generally weakened immune systems. This fungus is usually kept under control by the bacteria in your mouth, but certain illnesses and medications can disrupt the balance in your body.
5. Canker Sores are small, shallow lesions that develop on your gums or on the soft tissue in your mouth. Unlike cold sores, canker sores are not contagious and do not appear on the surface of your lips. Caused by acidic or spicy foods, most canker sores go away on their own in a week or two. However, if they worsen, they can leave scarring.
6. An Abscessed Tooth is a pocket of pus that can form in different parts of the tooth due to a bacterial infection. This is caused by bacteria entering the teeth and gums through a cavity or existing gum disease. It can also be caused by a foreign object, such as as popcorn kernel, getting embedded into your gums. If left untreated, the infection can cause the pain to radiate to your jaw bone, neck, or ear. It the rarest of cases, it has been known to cause sepsis.
Symptoms of a Mouth Infection
Although the treatment and types of infections are all very different, they are known to cause the same symptoms. If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to talk to your dentist right away to avoid complications or an increased risk of serious health conditions.
Symptoms may include, but are not limited to:
Severe, throbbing toothache
Pain in your neck, jaw bone, or inner ear
Sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures
Fever
Foul-smelling breath
Bitter taste in your mouth
Swelling in the face and/or cheek
Sensitivity when chewing or biting
Gums that are red or puffy
Bleeding gums while brushing or flossing
This is not a comprehensive list of all symptoms related to mouth infections, but these are the most common. When brushing and flossing, be aware of any discoloration or changes in your mouth that could be a sign of a possible infection.
Ways to Prevent a Mouth Infection
Many of these mouth infections are very common. In fact, 1 out of 3 Canadians have a need for dental work due to mouth infections, despite having a significant decrease in dental decay over the last 40 years.
There are easy ways to prevent mouth infections and to keep your mouth healthy. By washing your hands frequently, you reduce the risk of getting foreign bacteria in your mouth that can cause infections, or worsen existing conditions. The importance of brushing and flossing twice a day cannot go unmentioned. Cleaning your teeth using proper brushing techniques is crucial to removing the plaque off your teeth and having a health mouth.
Other ways to prevent mouth infections include not using tobacco products, eating health snacks and having a nutritious diet, and of course visiting your dentist for regular bi-annual cleanings and checkups.
Your dentist will be able to check your mouth using scanners and x-rays to determine any dental issues you may be experiencing, as well as identify any issues you have with your gums or teeth. 48% of Canadians who have not seen a dentist in the last year suffer from gum disease. Seeing a dentist can help existing mouth infections from worsening and prevent infections from happening.
Intestinal pathogens can lurk in the mouth and—at just the right moments—interlope in the gut to help trigger severe, recurring bouts of inflammation, researchers found. The study, based on human and mouse data, suggests that microbes lying low around our choppers may play a role in persistent gastrointestinal conditions such as Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis.
“Our findings suggest that the oral cavity may serve as a reservoir for potential intestinal pathobionts that can exacerbate intestinal disease,” the researchers, led by Koji Atarashi of Keio University School of Medicine, concluded.
Atarashi and colleagues wound up researching mouth microbes after noticing that the fecal microbiome samples of patients with chronic gut troubles tended to have far more oral bacteria than healthy people’s samples. They hypothesized that the oral germs—guzzled in the roughly 1.5 liters of saliva we swallow each day—may intermittently move through the gut and provoke aberrant immune responses and inflammation.
To test out the theory, the researchers had germ-free mice take in saliva from two patients with Crohn’s disease. Saliva from one patient had no effect on the mice. But saliva from the other did—it caused a raging immune response in the rodents' intestines. The researchers sifted through the bacteria in that saliva sample and found that a drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strain—2H7 (Kp-2H7)—was behind the immune mayhem.
In subsequent mouse tests, the researchers found that Kp-2H7 couldn’t colonize the intestines of healthy, wild-type mice. But if the researchers fed the rodents antibiotics that Kp-2H7 resisted, the germ could get a foothold in the gut and cause persistent flare-ups of inflammation. Likewise, Kp-2H7 could also cause inflammation in mice genetically engineered to be prone to colitis. Thus, genetics and microbiome-disturbing factors, like antibiotics, played a role in the development of inflammatory conditions, too.
To shore up the results, the researchers repeated the experiment from the beginning. They took more saliva samples, this time from patients with ulcerative colitis, and again gave them to germ-free mice. And they again saw inflammation from some saliva samples and pinned it down to a Klebsiella strain. This time it was Klebsiella aeromobilis 11E12 (Ka-11E12).
Going back to the fecal microbiome samples that started it all, the researchers looked specifically for Klebsiella strains. They found that patients with inflammatory bowel diseases had significantly higher aggregated relative abundance of Klebsiella strains in their poop than that of healthy people.
In an accompanying editorial, immunologist Xuetao Cao of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences concluded:
These data strongly indicate the pathogenic role of oral cavity-derived Klebsiella strains in inflammatory diseases, although so far the data are correlative.
The data needs far more work to repeat, verify, and extend the significance of the findings to patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. That said, Cao notes that this preliminary data hints that oral treatments to eject Klebsiella strains from the oral microbiome may have a future in helping to treat such conditions.
When doctors stick that annoying tongue depressor in your mouth, it isn't just an unintentional attempt to make you choke. In addition to checking out your throat, they are also taking a look at your tongue, which can tell them a lot about your internal health.
A healthy tongue is typically pink and covered by small nodules, called papillae. However, don't panic at any slight deviation from this description. Many tongue and mouth conditions are harmless, including canker sores, which are believed to be caused by stress and typically go away after two weeks. Geographic tongue, a condition that causes reddish spots that look like a map, is also usually harmless. Other conditions could be more serious and require a trip to the doctor or dentist.
White coating or white spots on your tongue or mouth
This could be a symptom of oral thrush, a yeast infection that develops inside the mouth, family physician Daniel Allan told the Cleveland Clinic blog Health Essentials. The patches, which may have the consistency of cottage cheese, are more common in the elderly (especially denture wearers) and people with weakened immune systems. People with diabetes and those who take inhaled steroids or antibiotics are also susceptible, Allan said.
White patches could also be a sign of leukoplakia, a condition in which the cells in the mouth grow excessively. The condition, which is common in people who use tobacco, can be a precursor to cancer, reports WebMD.
Bright red tongue
A red tongue could be an indicator for deficiency in folic acid and vitamin B-12. It could also be a sign of scarlet fever, an infection that causes the tongue to have a red and bumpy appearance resembling a strawberry. “If you have a high fever and a red tongue, you need to see your family doctor,” Allan said. “Antibiotics are necessary to treat scarlet fever.”
Black and 'hairy' tongue
Just as hair does on your body, papillae grow on your tongue throughout your lifetime. For some people they become extra long, which makes them more likely to harbor bacteria.
“Typically [black and hairy tongue] is brought on by smoking, drinking coffee and dark teas, or poor dental hygiene,” Jack Der-Sarkissian, a family physician with Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, told Readers' Digest. While it is important to take care of, you may be able to avoid a visit to the doctor or dentist for this one. “Removing the offending cause, like smoking, and brushing the tongue or using a tongue scraper, may be all you need,” Der-Sarkissian said.
Sore or bumpy tongue
Traumas such as biting your tongue or scalding it can cause pain in your mouth. But pain can also be an indicator of something more serious, like oral cancer. “A lump or sore on your tongue that doesn’t go away within two weeks could be an indication of oral cancer,” says Allan.
Burning tongue
A burning sensation could mean you have developed an allergy to your toothpaste. The ingredient sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), which makes toothpaste foamy, may cause the stinging. “Someone might be using one toothpaste their entire life, and then suddenly, their mouth starts hurting,” otolaryngologist Dale Amanda Tylor told Readers' Digest. Switching to toothpaste without SLS could help reduce irritation, but for other causes, a doctor may need to prescribe antibiotic rinses or pills, Tylor said.
Health experts recommend that you check your tongue every day when you brush and consult with a medical professional if you notice conditions that do not go away within two weeks.
Have you ever had a juicy burger or steak for lunch only to find people desperately avoiding your bad breath on a crowded train? Well maybe not, but avoiding or reducing your meat intake might help prevent bad breath and potentially embarrassing situations.
Bad breath, or halitosis, is a problem that affects 40% of the adult population at some time in their lives . Poor oral hygiene, gum disease and smoking all contribute to bad breath, but your diet also plays an important role.
The diet factor
The age-old tale about garlic and onions affecting your breath is true, but other foods such as meat and cheese are also culprits. Protein-rich foods that get stuck in teeth crevices attract the germs around the tongue and mouth that contributes to bad breath. Following a vegetarian diet or reducing your meat intake will help prevent the build-up of germs, and therefore may help to avoid those unpleasant odours.
Did you know?
A recent study of 11,000 vegetarians and healthy eaters concluded that a daily intake of fruit was associated to a 20% reduction in mortality from heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and cancers of the stomach, lung, pancreas, large intestine, and rectum.
A balanced diet
Vegetarians and vegans, not to mention fruitarians and raw foodists, all have one thing in common – a high intake of fruit and vegetables. Meat, dairy and other high protein foods are good sources of iron, calcium and vitamins, but many fruit and vegetables can offer alternative sources . A healthy salad for lunch, or meat alternatives like calcium-rich tofu are good options to maintaining healthy teeth and fresher breath.
Can’t beat the meat
Good news, there is help out there if you’re not quite ready to give up meat or dairy. To avoid bad breath, brush your teeth (including your tongue) twice a day using germs-fighting dental products such as Colgate Total Toothpaste, which helps fight germs build up for up to 12 hours.
Dental floss is your friend, always pack some and use it every day, especially after eating meat. Drink a great deal of water to prevent halitosis by washing away thick mucus and germs, and to keep the mouth flowing freely with saliva . Finally, eat a balanced diet of fruit, vegetables and grains and try to limit your meat intake to twice a week.
Periodontitis, a form of severe gum infection, is recognized as one of the major causes of tooth loss. It is a bacterial infection that causes inflammation and weakening of the supporting structures of the teeth, leading to tooth loss.
However, due to lack of adequate knowledge in terms of risk factors associated with periodontitis, management of the condition remains difficult. Now, a research team from Okayama University, Japan, has identified oral bacteria as the major cause for periodontitis.
Previous studies have associated the nature of the oral microbiome as well as genetic 'polymorphism,' the most common type of genetic variation among people, with the developing of periodontitis. However, till date, no study has simultaneously assessed the importance of these two risk factors.
In the new study, the research led by Assistant Professor Naoki Toyama from Okayama University, Japan have emphasized that oral microbiome plays greater role in the development of periodontitis than an individual's genetic makeup. The researchers believe that their findings, published in International Journal of Environment and Public Health Research, could guide clinicians in designing better strategies for diagnosing and treating periodontitis.
How to keep periodontitis at bay
Are microbes associated with the presence of periodontitis or it is the host genetic factors that facilitate the development of the condition?
In their study, Dr. Toyama and colleagues found that the " -diversity" of the microbes (the ratio between regional and local species diversity) was significantly different between the periodontitis and control groups. In addition, the presence of the bacteria species, P. gingivalis and the bacterial families, Lactobacillaceae and Desulfobulbaceae, was found associated with periodontitis. But they didn't find any link between genetic polymorphism and periodontitis. Based on their findings, the team concluded that our oral microbiome affects the status of periodontitis more than our genes.
Dr. Toyama noted that the findings would motivate clinicians to pay more attention to microbiome composition rather than the genetic identity of the individual in the routine work of periodontal examination, and design customized treatment strategy for the condition.
Also, this finding reinforces the importance of regular tooth cleaning to keep periodontitis at bay and prevent tooth loss.
How To Fight Oral Bacteria
Bacteria living on tooth surfaces thrive on sugars from leftover food in your mouth and produce acid as a waste product. Over time, high levels of acid can soften and erode your enamel, eventually leading to tooth decay. Here are 3 ways to prevent plaque build-up that supports disease-causing bacteria.
Brush and floss at least once a day: This can remove most of the plaque buildup. Use fluoride toothpaste to help strengthen your enamel. Make sure you wait for 30 minutes to an hour after eating before brushing to reduce the acid level in your mouth. Get dental cleanings twice a year to remove hard to reach plaque.
Reduce intake of sweets: The bacteria in your mouth love sugary foods, and the more they feast on sugar, the more they produce acid. So, cut back on sugar-rich snacks and instead choose fresh fruits, raw vegetables or dairy products to beat your hunger pangs.
Try decay-fighting supplements: If you have low saliva flow, you can use an artificial saliva supplement or products containing xylitol, an alcohol-based sugar, to improve your mouth hygiene. Xylitol also inhibits bacterial growth.
However, consult a dentist first before taking any dental supplement.
Teeth whitening continues to be a goal for many people and in addition to the teeth whitening services that are offered at your dental office, and in addition to the different over-the-counter teeth whitening remedies, it is good to be aware of foods that can both help to keep your teeth white and food/drinks that can stain your teeth.
First let us start with the good news. There are five different foods that are known to help keep your teeth white, and they also all offer additional nutritional and health benefits.
1. Cheese : That’s right! Good news for dairy lovers is that cheese, (along with other dairy products, including yogurt and milk), contain lactic acid, along with calcium, which is a known enamel-fortifying mineral, and lactic acid and calcium work to strengthen your teeth and whiten them. In addition, chewing on cheese promotes the saliva production in your mouth, and this helps to wash away any food particles that could stain your teeth
2. Cauliflower : Cauliflower is one of those foods that take a long time to chew. When a food takes longer to chew, that stimulates the saliva production in your mouth more than usual. Saliva is a natural cleanser for your mouth and by eating cauliflower, you can be sure to keep those pearly whites bright
3. Celery : Like cauliflower, celery is another food that takes a long time to chew, so it also stimulates saliva, which washes away food particles and keeps your gums healthy. Other benefits of celery include being a fibrous vegetable that is low in calories and being rich in nutrients
4. Strawberries : Strawberries are not as obvious of a choice to be a food that can help to keep your teeth white, due to their dark color, but strawberries contain the enzyme, malic acid, which naturally works to make your teeth whiter
5. Apples : When you chew on apples, you need to chew quite a few times, and the act of chewing is a natural mouth cleanser. The texture of apples also affords a bit of a scrubbing action in your mouth, and this helps to keep your teeth shining bright
It is also good to be aware of food and drinks that can cause your teeth to be stained. These food and drinks include:
1. Blueberries : Unfortunately, the dark color of the blueberries is known to cause stains on teeth. If you do want to eat blueberries, it is good to wash out your mouth with water after, or even better yet, brush your teeth after eating them
2. Coffee/Tea: Drinking black coffee or black tea is another known culprit of teeth staining. If you need to have your morning coffee, try adding in a splash of milk or if you want to drink tea, opt for a green, herbal or white tea
3. Tomato sauce/ketchup : Tomato sauce, along with any other sauce that is tomato based is known to stain teeth because of the high level of acidity in them, along with the bright color. If you can, choose another kind of sauce that is not tomato based or use mustard instead of using ketchup
4. Popsicles : Although a popsicle can be very refreshing on a hot summer day, they are loaded with sugar and food coloring, which can cause stains on your teeth. If you do have a popsicle, it is important to thoroughly brush your teeth afterwards
5. Red wine: Although there are some health benefits of drinking red wine, red wine is notorious for staining teeth. Make sure you flush your mouth with water after, or you might choose to have a glass of white wine to switch it up
If you are concerned about the color of your teeth and would like to know more about what teeth whitening options are safe and will be most effective for you, Contact your dentist today.
Dr. Alexa Lessow at Lexington ENT & Allergy has treated numerous patients with dysphagia, the medical term for problems with swallowing. Sometimes determining the reason it hurts for you to swallow can be a complex undertaking, because it can be a symptom of quite a few different conditions.
Each year, about 1 in 25 adults in the United States have problems swallowing. By preventing you from swallowing normally, dysphagia can lead to malnourishment and other health problems.
In this post we discuss five of the most common reasons you may be having difficulty swallowing. If you have pain or discomfort when you swallow and can’t determine why, seek treatment sooner rather than later. Early treatment can make a difference.
1. GERD
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is more commonly known as acid reflux. It’s the most common reason for esophageal dysphagia, which is one of two categories of swallowing problems. GERD may make you feel like food is stuck at the base of your throat or in your chest.
GERD can make your esophagus narrower, or create strictures, and it can also cause ulcers. Both strictures and ulcers make it more difficult to swallow. Heartburn is often used to describe occasional acid reflux, but GERD is a chronic condition.
2. Parkinson’s disease
There are several neurological conditions that can impact your ability to swallow, and Parkinson’s disease is one of them. It causes oropharyngeal dysphagia, the second category of swallowing problems. With oropharyngeal dysphagia, you struggle to move food from your mouth to your throat, and you may gag, choke, or cough when you try.
In addition to Parkinson’s disease, neurological damage, multiple sclerosis, and muscular dystrophy can cause oropharyngeal dysphagia. Physical therapy is often a successful approach to treating dysphagia caused by neurological issues.
3. Cancer
Cancerous tumors can cause either esophageal or oropharyngeal dysphagia, depending on where the tumor forms. Tumors can create physical barriers to swallowing, and may form in your throat, esophagus, or stomach.
Cancer treatments, too, can affect your ability to swallow. Radiation therapy, in particular, can cause oropharyngeal dysphagia.
4. Thyroid issues
Your thyroid gland is located at the base of your throat, just under your Adam’s apple. Some conditions make the butterfly-shaped gland enlarge or develop nodules, which causes it to press against your esophagus. That pressure impedes your ability to swallow comfortably. Women experience thyroid issues more often than men.
5. Herpes
There are a great many herpes viruses. Some herpes simplex viruses can cause infections in your mouth or esophagus, and those infections can make it hard to swallow. Herpes esophagitis is sometimes accompanied by heart pain.
It is important to note that if you have sudden difficulty swallowing, this may be due to an allergic reaction, for which you should seek medical care immediately.
Acid reflux is a condition that occurs when acid from the stomach moves upward into the food pipe. The acid causes irritation of the tissue lining, which leads to heartburn – a burning sensation in the chest.
The American College of Gastroenterology estimate that over 60 million Americans experience heartburn a minimum of once a month. Some research indicates that over 15 million Americans may experience heartburn every day.
Heartburn that occurs more than twice a week can lead to a diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which can cause ulcers and permanent damage if left untreated. GERD also increases the risk of esophageal cancer.
Heartburn is the most common symptom of acid reflux or GERD but a chronic cough is also a symptom.
Acid reflux and coughing.
Chronic coughing is usually defined as a cough that lasts for 8 weeks or longer.
Although chronic coughing is not a typical symptom of acid reflux, GERD is associated with at least 25 percentTrusted Source of cases of chronic cough, according to some research. Other research suggests GERD is a factor in 40 percentTrusted Source of people who have a chronic cough.
While a link exists between chronic cough and GERD, it does not mean that GERD is always the cause of the cough. Chronic cough is a common problem, and a person may simply have these two conditions at the same time.
How reflux leads to coughing
Of course, in some cases, chronic cough may be caused or made worse by acid reflux. There are two possible mechanismsTrusted Source to explain this occurrence.
The first suggests that a cough occurs as a reflexive action set off by the rising of stomach acid into the food pipe.
The second mechanism proposes that reflux moves above the food pipe and causes tiny droplets of stomach acid to land in the voice box or throat. This type of reflux is known as laryngeal pharyngeal reflux (LPR). LPR may lead to the development of a cough as a protective mechanism against the reflux.
LPR
LPR, also known as silent reflux or atypical reflux, is similar to GERD, although it frequently has different symptoms.
When stomach acid comes into contact with the vocal cords and throat, it can cause inflammation leading to symptoms such as:
coughing
hoarseness
throat clearing
the feeling that something is stuck in the throat
The amount of stomach acid needed to irritate the lining of the throat and voice box is quite small. Only 50 percent of those with LPR experience heartburn.
Treatment for a chronic cough caused by acid reflux aims to reduce the reflux that is causing or worsening the coughing. This is often done through medication.
Lifestyle and dietary changes are also quite effective, particularly for those with mild to moderate symptoms. In severe cases of reflux, surgery may be considered.
Lifestyle changes
People with chronic cough caused by acid reflux can try making the following lifestyle changes to improve their symptoms:
Maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI): This can reduce some of the pressure on the stomach, lessening the amount of stomach acid forced up the food pipe.
Wearing loose clothing: This reduces pressure on the stomach.
Stopping smoking: Smokers are at a higher risk of developing GERD.
Eating slowly and avoiding overeating: Large meals inhibit the closure of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), allowing stomach acid to rise up into the food pipe.
Not lying down after or during meals: People should wait for approximately 3 hours before lying down after meals.
Elevating the head of the bed: Those with nighttime acid reflux could try raising the head of their bed with blocks or wooden wedges. Doing so may lessen the amount of rising acid.
Dietary changes
Some foods and drinks trigger acid reflux. The most common offenders are:
alcohol
caffeine
chocolate
citrus
fried foods
garlic
high-fat foods
mint
onions
spicy foods
tomatoes and tomato-based foods
Food triggers vary from person to person, so keeping a diary of food intake and symptoms can be a useful way for people to discover which foods contribute to symptoms.
If a cough persists for 3 weeks without improving, a doctor should be consulted.
Medical advice should also be sought if the cough is severe or gets worse, is accompanied by blood or chest pain, or if it is difficult to breathe.
A cough associated with other symptoms of acid reflux or LPR should also be seen by a doctor.
