Why does stomach acid come back up in mouth?

Answer 1

First a little anatomy lesson;

There is a muscle at the bottom of the esophagus (the tube between the mouth and the stomach), called the 'lower esophageal sphincter' (LES), that tightens to close the opening to the stomach after a person stops eating and/or drinking to prevent the backing up (reflux) of stomach content into the esophagus.

So the reason why stomach acid, or any liquid/food, comes back up from the stomach and into the mouth (also called regurgitation) is because this muscle has not done what it was supposed to do at that time. It either became loose, or didn't close all the way.

Causes that loosen this muscle can be many - from taking certain medications (pain pills, muscle relaxers, etc.), eating certain foods and drinks (chocolate, peppermint, citrus fruits/drinks, alcohol, soda, coffee, etc.) to the position of the body (bending over a certain way), or anything that causes extra pressure on the stomach, even certain medical conditions.

If it only happens once or twice, I agree, it's not too much to worry about. Just drink some water to push/wash the acid back down into the stomach, because you don't want the acid to stay in the esophagus or back of throat because it can cause damage to teeth and the esophagus itself.

If it happens more often, a trip to a doctor, in order to find out or rule out any medical condition, such as GERD, Acid Reflux, hernia, or any other contributing factor.

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You probably ate fried or greasy food. When fried or greasy food is consumed, your body must create more acid to break it down. When the food is gone, the acid remains. Your body slowly gets rid of the excess acid, but slowly. The acid is so hot, that it slowly rises, like a hot air balloon. Then, your mouth! Don't worry, it should do it once or twice, then go away.