Antacid Use Linked to Bad Breath

It's bad enough that people with acid reflux (GERD) who take prescription antacids have to suffer pain and social isolation from their symptoms, as well as disrupted protein digestion, reduced vitamin and mineral absorption, and other risky and unwelcome side effects of their acid-reducing medication.

Now doctors in Brazil are reporting¹ the proton pump inhibitors (PPIs: Prilosec, Prevacid, Nexium, Aciphex, Protonix) used to treat GERD may cause bad breath:

"Once we excluded oral causes of halitosis, we discovered that bacteria overgrowth associated with PPI usage might play a role in causing bad breath".
- Luciana Camacho-Lobato, MD, PhD, New Study Links Bad Breath to Heartburn, GERD

Cruel.
~~~~~~¹ Reported at last week's 71st Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology.