Perhaps nothing shows really bad etiquette than openly belching in front of a dinner table with guests. In many parts of the world, audible belching, whether in a dinner table or not, is considered impolite and a sign of bad social upbringing. Curiously, though, belching is also a practice of kids and teenagers, engaging in contests to see who has the loudest and longest belch. Belching is also openly advocated (and is even a form of entertainment) in guy circles. Finally, in some parts of the world, belching after a meal is considered a compliment to the chef.

Belching is expelling excess air or gas from your stomach through the mouth. It is also known as burping or ructus. Typically, belching is accompanied by an odor or sound. Everyone belches and it is usually not a sign of anything serious; in fact it is useful as it relieves the stomach of any discomfort caused by having excess air.

The main cause of belching is a buildup of gas on the stomach. There are many ways how a gas can enter into your stomach. The most common is method is by eating or drinking too fast. Talking while eating can also cause you to swallow in air more than the usual, hence part of the reason why it is bad manners to engage in any conversation with your mouth full. Also, drinking carbonated beverages such as beer or sodas can also contribute to stomach gas. You may have noticed how you will belch loudly after a bottle or two of these kinds of drinks.

If you're suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or acid reflux disease, you may also take in extra gas. When stomach acid backs up to your esophagus (as is common with acid reflux), you may be forced to swallow repeatedly in order to clear the material.

The second most common reason for gas buildup in your stomach is the breaking down of the food that you eat. Your food is broken down by enzymes and bacteria. Every time a food is broken down, your digestive system releases wind or gas. Now, if you just ate something that gets a terribly long time to break down, like foods with non-soluble fiber in them, then your digestive system works overtime to process the food. As a result, more gas is released, resulting to more buildup. Lactose intolerant people are also more prone to gas buildup because of this. If you're lactose intolerant and you take in anything that has milk such as dairy products, then you will have a hard time breaking them down, resulting in more gas production.

To get rid of belching, you have to get rid of the source: extra gas. There are a couple of ways to do so. Here are some of them:

1. Take medications for gas problems. The most obvious way to get rid of an existing gas problem is to take medicine made to reduce them. Some of these medications work by pulling the gas bubbles together, reducing the amount of gas you have in your digestive system. For those suffering from lactose intolerance, medications like Lactrase and Lactaid are available to address them. Charcoal tablets are also available that work in much the same way as prescription medicines.

2. Exercise. Exercising not only promotes good health, it also helps you get rid of your belching problem. Exercise helps in making your digestive system active, encouraging the release of gas in the stomach.

3. Change your diet. In particular, lessen your intake of foods that can cause gas. Foods rich in insoluble fiber such as bran, cereals, and bananas should be controlled or moderated.

   However, since fiber is an important part of a healthy diet, it is not recommended that you totally remove them from your menu. Instead, try to cut back on them and then slowly re-introduce them bit by bit. In this way, your digestive system will be able to get used to digesting the fiber and it will become that much easier to take it all in.

   If you're lactose-intolerant, then cut back on dairy consumption. Also, try to substitute low-lactose products for your dairy needs. An example of this would be suing yogurt instead of milk.

   Cut back (if not eliminate) carbonated drinks like soda, however. Aside from the fact that they really don't have any nutritional value, carbonated drinks will increase the gas in your stomach, especially if taken after a heavy meal.

4. Change your eating habits. Talking while eating is not just bad table manners, it also promotes gas intake and buildup leading to belching. Chew your food properly; gulping down your food causes you to take in more air than the usual. Don't overeat as well, for pretty much the same reason.

   When drinking, try to avoid using straws. Sipping from straws require that you inhale more air in order to take in the liquid. Drink from a glass instead.

   As mentioned above, eating in small batches will enable your digestive system to properly digest the food. As such, try to eat in small batches scattered throughout the day instead of three full-blown meals.

5. Stop smoking. Smoking causes you to take in air when inhaling. Most air you inhale will go directly to your lungs, but some of them will find their way to your stomach, contributing to gas buildup.

Belching, aside from being impolite and getting you disapproving glares in social functions, is not really a cause for alarm. If the belching becomes too frequent, however, and it's already interfering with your daily life, then it's time that you seek the help of your physician. Likewise, belching accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, dyspesia, or heartbrun should also be consulted by the doctor.

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