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Swallowing air while eating fast is called aerophagia

Question asked:

“Swallowing air while eating fast, chewing gum, drinking through a straw, or talking with a mouth full is called aerophagia.”
True
Confidence: High Checked on September 25, 2026

Summary

Aerophagia is the medical term for swallowing air, which can occur when a person eats quickly, chews gum, drinks through a straw, or talks with a mouth full. These behaviors are commonly listed as causes of the condition in current medical references.

Sources 57 searched

sciencedirect.com
  • Aerophagia - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics

    Air is normally swallowed along with food or fluids while eating and it collects in the upper stomach when the patient is upright. Reflex mechanisms eventually cause the lower esophageal sphincter to relax so the gastric air bubble is refluxed into the oesophagus and released.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
healthline.com
webmd.com
my.clevelandclinic.org
  • Aerophagia (Air Swallowing): Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

    Being an “air eater” isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though. After all, swallowing small amounts of air aids digestion. It’s natural for some air to enter your mouth when you’re chewing, breathing or talking.

sleepapnea.org
en.wikipedia.org
  • Aerophagia - Wikipedia

    Aerophagia is associated with excessively chewing gum, smoking, drinking carbonated drinks, eating too quickly, as well as anxiety, high continuous positive airway pressure and wearing loose dentures. Aerophagia is also carried out deliberately as a voluntary action to increase the length and volume of a belch, as any air successfully swallowed ...

columbiadoctors.org
healthy.kaiserpermanente.org
  • Swallowed Air | Kaiser Permanente

    Aerophagia is a condition where large amounts of air are swallowed. It occurs most often in people who are very anxious or who have mental health problems. The following tips can help you prevent swallowing air. Take your time when you eat and drink. You are more likely to swallow air when you rush through meals or eat on the run. Chew your food thoroughly before you swallow.

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