Is a Salt Water Rinse Really Effective For Oral Use?

 An ancient home remedy of dealing with a sore throat, sore gums, lost tooth or post dental procedures is rinsing with warm salt water. Since 1600 B.C. Ancient Greeks have been using salt and water as a treatment. The question is, in 2018, does this remedy still work?

The answer is YES. Believe it or not, it is still recommended by almost every dentist as well. Mainly because it kill bacteria in the mouth, but also because salt is an anti-inflammatory as well. Which means it can reduce swelling.

The use of salt also promotes healing, so it's ideal to use it 24 hours after minor dental surgery to help your mouth recover. It's an isotonic solution, which means it contains the same salts and minerals our bodies do in equal concentrations. For this reason, it doesn't irritate the mucous membranes as a medicinal mouthwash might, which is why many dentists recommend it as a gentle healing aid after a procedure.

So, although this method has been around for thousands of years, it is still used today and still just as effective as before.

So sometimes pouring salt on the wound is not a bad thing :)