The best bicarbonate gum for heartburn is one that combines sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) with a sugar-free, non-mint base, so you get two acid-neutralizing effects at once: the bicarbonate in the gum and the extra bicarbonate-rich saliva that chewing produces. Right now, the only widely available gum in the US built specifically around that idea is Reflux Gourmet Berry Soothe Gum, which adds sodium bicarbonate and an alginate blend. That’s my top pick.
If you want faster acid neutralization for the odd bad bout of heartburn, an antacid gum with calcium carbonate is the better tool. And if you just want an everyday gum to chew after meals on a budget, any sugar-free, non-mint xylitol gum still gives you most of the saliva benefit.
Here’s how bicarbonate gum works, what the research actually shows, and my picks for different needs, with the honest caveats.
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Key Takeaways
- Chewing gum after meals raises saliva flow and swallowing, which washes acid back down and neutralizes it with the bicarbonate in saliva.
- Adding bicarbonate to the gum itself boosts that effect. In the key LPR study, bicarbonate gum raised throat and esophageal pH more than regular sugar-free gum.
- Best overall: Reflux Gourmet Berry Soothe Gum, sugar-free with sodium bicarbonate and alginate, and no mint.
- Best antacid gum for fast relief: Alka-Seltzer Cool Action Heartburn Relief Gum, which uses calcium carbonate rather than bicarbonate.
- Best budget everyday gum: Spry Xylitol Gum, Fresh Fruit, a sugar-free, non-mint gum for chewing after meals.
- Avoid peppermint and spearmint gum. Mint can relax the valve at the bottom of the esophagus and make reflux worse.
- Chew for about 30 minutes after meals, when reflux is most likely.
How Bicarbonate Gum Helps Heartburn
Your saliva is your body’s own antacid. It contains bicarbonate, which neutralizes acid, and every time you swallow, it washes acid that has crept up the esophagus back down into the stomach. I go into this in detail in my article on saliva, bicarbonate and acid reflux.
Chewing gum turns that system up. It increases saliva flow and makes you swallow more often, so acid is cleared faster and neutralized more completely. A bicarbonate gum adds a dose of baking soda on top of the bicarbonate already in your saliva.
This matters most after meals. Reflux is at its peak in the hour or two after eating, which is exactly when gum is most useful.
What the Research Shows
The evidence for gum chewing is better than most people expect:
- In people with GERD, chewing sugar-free gum for 30 minutes after a meal reduced the time the esophagus was exposed to acid from 5.7% to 3.6% [Moazzez et al., Journal of Dental Research, 2005].
- Chewing gum after a meal reduced reflux in both GERD patients and healthy people, with an effect comparable to walking after eating [Avidan et al., Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2001].
- In people with LPR (throat reflux), gum chewing raised the pH in both the throat and the esophagus, and bicarbonate gum worked better than regular sugarless gum [Smoak and Koufman, Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology, 2001].
That last study is the reason bicarbonate gum gets recommended. It’s also the most relevant one if your reflux shows up as throat clearing, hoarseness or a lump in the throat rather than classic heartburn.
Two honest caveats. First, the bicarbonate gum used in that study isn’t the same product as any of the gums sold today, and none of the current gums have been tested in their own clinical trials. Second, gum is a helper, not a treatment on its own. It won’t fix frequent reflux, but it can take the edge off after meals.
What to Look for in a Gum for Heartburn
- Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) on the ingredient list. This is what makes it a true bicarbonate gum. Don’t rely on “for reflux” claims on the packaging. Check the ingredients.
- No mint. Peppermint and spearmint can relax the lower esophageal sphincter, the valve that keeps acid in your stomach. Go for fruit, berry, tropical, cinnamon or unflavored gum.
- Sugar-free. Sugar feeds mouth bacteria and isn’t something you want to be chewing several times a day. Xylitol is the best-studied sweetener for teeth.
- Not too much sorbitol or other sugar alcohols. Large amounts can cause gas, bloating and loose stools, which some people with reflux are already prone to.
- A portable pack. You’ll get the most benefit if you chew straight after meals, wherever you are.
The Best Gums for Heartburn
Reflux Gourmet Berry Soothe Gum — best bicarbonate gum overall
This is the closest thing to a purpose-built reflux gum on the US market. It combines sodium bicarbonate with Reflux Gourmet’s alginate blend and botanicals (ginger, celeriac and aloe), in a sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan base with a berry flavor instead of mint.
The bicarbonate and the saliva boost are the parts with the best scientific logic behind them. The alginate in a gum is an interesting idea, but don’t expect it to work like a full dose of a liquid alginate. The amount in one piece is small.
The texture surprises people. It’s a functional gum, so it crumbles when you first bite it and takes a minute of chewing to come together, and it’s firmer than candy gum. Reviewers who stuck with it say they got used to it.
Best for: anyone who wants a true bicarbonate gum, especially if your reflux is throat-based (LPR).
Downside: pricier per piece than ordinary gum, and the texture takes getting used to.
Reflux Gourmet Tropical Soothe Gum — best flavor alternative
The same formula as the Berry Soothe, with a tropical fruit flavor. If you find berry flavors a bit sweet, or you want to alternate so you don’t get bored, this is the one to get. It’s also mint-free, sugar-free and contains sodium bicarbonate.
Best for: the same people as the Berry Soothe, with a different flavor.
Downside: same price and texture trade-offs.
Alka-Seltzer Cool Action Heartburn Relief Gum — best antacid gum for fast relief
This isn’t a bicarbonate gum. Each piece contains 750 mg of calcium carbonate, the same antacid that’s in Tums. That makes it a medicine rather than an everyday gum, and it’s better at quickly neutralizing a bout of heartburn than a bicarbonate gum is. You still get the saliva benefit from chewing.
Use it the way you’d use an antacid tablet: occasionally, when you need it, and within the dose on the pack. It’s not something to chew all day. Its “cool” flavor may not suit you if mint is one of your triggers, so try it before you rely on it. For how calcium carbonate compares with other options, see Tums vs Gaviscon.
Best for: occasional heartburn when you need relief quickly and don’t have water to take a tablet.
Downside: it’s an antacid with a daily limit, not an after-every-meal gum. Frequent use of calcium antacids can cause constipation and rebound acid.
Spry Xylitol Gum, Fresh Fruit — best budget everyday gum
There’s no added bicarbonate here, but that doesn’t make it useless. The Moazzez and Avidan studies above used ordinary sugar-free gum, and the main benefit came from the extra saliva and swallowing. Spry is sweetened with xylitol, comes in a fruit flavor rather than mint, and costs a fraction of a specialist gum per piece.
If you want to chew after every meal, a good approach is to use a cheap gum like this day-to-day and keep a bicarbonate gum for the meals that usually set you off. Check the ingredient list on your pack for any mint flavoring, as some fruit gums blend it in.
Best for: chewing after every meal on a budget.
Downside: no added bicarbonate, and too much xylitol can upset some stomachs.
Bicarbonate Gum vs Antacid Gum vs Regular Gum
- Bicarbonate gum boosts saliva and adds baking soda. It works gently and is best used after meals to keep acid cleared, especially for throat-based reflux.
- Antacid gum (calcium carbonate) is a medicine that neutralizes acid quickly. It’s best kept for occasional heartburn, within the label dose.
- Regular sugar-free, non-mint gum gives you the saliva and swallowing benefit without the extras. It’s cheap and still evidence-backed for chewing after meals.
Whichever you pick, avoid mint gum. That one choice probably matters more than which brand you buy.
How to Use Gum for Heartburn
- Chew straight after meals. That’s when reflux peaks.
- Keep going for about 30 minutes. That’s the timing used in the studies.
- Stay upright while you chew. Gum plus gravity works better than gum while lying on the couch.
- Don’t chew for hours on end. Constant chewing makes you swallow air, which can cause bloating and burping.
- Pair it with an alginate for bigger meals or bedtime. Gum helps clear acid, while an alginate forms a raft that blocks reflux from coming up in the first place. See Reflux Gourmet vs Gaviscon for help choosing one.
For the full background on why gum works and when it can backfire, read my main guide to chewing gum and acid reflux.
Can You Just Use Baking Soda Instead?
Baking soda in water does neutralize stomach acid quickly, and it’s an old home remedy. It’s not something to use regularly, though. It’s very high in sodium, and it can cause gas and a rebound in acid. My guide to baking soda for heartburn covers when it’s safe and when to avoid it. A bicarbonate gum gives you a far smaller, gentler dose spread over time, alongside the saliva boost.
Conclusion
A bicarbonate gum is a simple, low-risk tool for heartburn and throat reflux, and the research behind chewing gum after meals is surprisingly solid. My top pick is Reflux Gourmet Berry Soothe Gum because it’s the only widely available option that combines sodium bicarbonate with a sugar-free, mint-free base. If you need fast relief from the odd bout of heartburn, an antacid gum is the better tool, and a cheap fruit xylitol gum still does a good job after everyday meals.
But gum is a helper. If you’re reaching for it after most meals, the bigger win comes from changing what’s on your plate and when you eat it, so there’s less acid and pepsin coming up to clear in the first place. The Wipeout Diet Plan is my complete guide to doing exactly that. It was built first for LPR, the throat-based kind of reflux, but since it targets the same root causes, it works just as well for everyday heartburn and GERD. It covers which foods to cut, what to eat instead, meal timing and a step-by-step plan, so gum becomes a backup rather than a crutch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best gum for heartburn?
A sugar-free, non-mint gum with sodium bicarbonate. Reflux Gourmet Soothe Gum is the most widely available option in the US. For occasional fast relief, a calcium carbonate antacid gum like Alka-Seltzer Cool Action works quicker. For everyday chewing on a budget, any sugar-free fruit xylitol gum still helps.
Does chewing gum really help heartburn?
Yes. Studies show chewing sugar-free gum for 30 minutes after a meal reduces how much acid reaches the esophagus, because it increases saliva, which contains bicarbonate, and makes you swallow more often to clear acid.
Is bicarbonate gum better than regular gum?
In the key study on throat reflux, bicarbonate gum raised throat and esophageal pH more than regular sugar-free gum. Regular sugar-free, non-mint gum still helps, though, and is much cheaper.
Why should I avoid mint gum for heartburn?
Peppermint and spearmint can relax the lower esophageal sphincter, the valve that keeps stomach contents down, which can let more acid escape. Fruit, berry, cinnamon or unflavored gum is a safer choice.
When should I chew gum for acid reflux?
Straight after meals, for about 30 minutes, while staying upright. That’s when reflux is most likely and when the studies showed the biggest benefit.
Can I chew antacid gum every day?
Only within the dose limit on the pack, and not as a long-term daily habit without speaking to a doctor. Calcium carbonate antacids can cause constipation and rebound acid if overused. If you need them most days, your reflux needs a proper plan.
Does bicarbonate gum help LPR or silent reflux?
It’s one of the more useful tools for LPR, because the extra saliva and bicarbonate help neutralize acid in the throat, not just the esophagus. The main study on bicarbonate gum was carried out in LPR patients. It works best alongside diet changes and an alginate.
Research & References
- [Smoak and Koufman, Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology, 2001] — In LPR patients, gum chewing raised pharyngeal and esophageal pH, and bicarbonate gum outperformed regular sugarless gum.
- [Moazzez et al., Journal of Dental Research, 2005] — Chewing sugar-free gum for 30 minutes after a meal reduced esophageal acid exposure from 5.7% to 3.6% in GERD patients.
- [Avidan et al., Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2001] — Walking and gum chewing after meals both reduced postprandial reflux in GERD patients and healthy controls.
David Gray
12 years living with LPR · Consultant & researcher
I've lived with LPR for twelve years — the misdiagnoses, the PPI courses that did nothing, the slow work of figuring out what actually helps. Wipeout Reflux is where I translate the research into plain terms for people stuck in the same place. Every claim here is sourced to peer-reviewed work, and I consult one-to-one with LPR sufferers.