Salt rinse is a saline solution mouthwash used in dentistry to treat certain diseases and reduce post-operative pain and infection. It is also offered commercially for routine oral hygiene. [1] Other names for the treatment include salt water mouthwash, [2] salt water mouth bath, [3] and saline mouth rinse. [4]
There appears to be no standard for preparation and use of a salt rinse in dentistry.
Solution. Descriptions of the solution mixture include “one level teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water,” [4] "about 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) of salt in 1 cup (237 milliliters) of warm water," [5] “one teaspoonful of common salt in a domestic tumbler.” [6] and 0.5–1 teaspoon of table salt into a cup of water. [7] [8] [9]
Temperature. "Warm," [4] "hot,” [2] and "a temperature as would be taken for a fresh cup of tea" (producing a solution roughly isotonic with body tissues). [6]
Duration. "Gargle," [4] "swish", [5] "rinse ... for 30 seconds, [1]" and "retain each mouthful ... around the area in question for as long as it remains hot and to repeat until the entire tumblerful has been used." [3]
Frequency. "6 times daily for 1 week, before and after every meal" (for prevention of alveolar osteitis), [4] twice a day (general use), [1] and "two or three times a day" (for the treatment of oral thrush). [10]
A 2017 review of the literature found no objective study regarding the efficacy of a warm salt solution for oral care. [11] [12] However, a 2015 experiment reported positive results in preventing alveolar osteitis (also called "dry socket"). [4] While research has shown that chlorhexidine is more effective than a saline solution, [11] where access to pharmaceuticals is limited a salt solution has the benefit of being less expensive, more readily available, and easy to produce. [4]
A small study of a commercial sea salt rinse used for routine oral hygiene found no significant benefit in fighting plaque or gingivitis. [1]
Gargling with salt water has been shown to reduce the incidence of upper respiratory infections, such as the common cold. [13]
The mechanism of salt rinse benefits, if any, remains a mystery. One hypothesis suggests the hypertonic nature of the saline solution draws out bacterial intracellular fluid by way of plasmolysis. Another that warmth induces vasodilatation, which activates phagocytes. [4] [11] [6]
Salt rinse is a saline solution mouthwash used in dentistry to treat certain diseases and reduce post-operative pain and infection. It is also offered commercially for routine oral hygiene. [1] Other names for the treatment include salt water mouthwash, [2] salt water mouth bath, [3] and saline mouth rinse. [4]
There appears to be no standard for preparation and use of a salt rinse in dentistry.
Solution. Descriptions of the solution mixture include “one level teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water,” [4] "about 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) of salt in 1 cup (237 milliliters) of warm water," [5] “one teaspoonful of common salt in a domestic tumbler.” [6] and 0.5–1 teaspoon of table salt into a cup of water. [7] [8] [9]
Temperature. "Warm," [4] "hot,” [2] and "a temperature as would be taken for a fresh cup of tea" (producing a solution roughly isotonic with body tissues). [6]
Duration. "Gargle," [4] "swish", [5] "rinse ... for 30 seconds, [1]" and "retain each mouthful ... around the area in question for as long as it remains hot and to repeat until the entire tumblerful has been used." [3]
Frequency. "6 times daily for 1 week, before and after every meal" (for prevention of alveolar osteitis), [4] twice a day (general use), [1] and "two or three times a day" (for the treatment of oral thrush). [10]
A 2017 review of the literature found no objective study regarding the efficacy of a warm salt solution for oral care. [11] [12] However, a 2015 experiment reported positive results in preventing alveolar osteitis (also called "dry socket"). [4] While research has shown that chlorhexidine is more effective than a saline solution, [11] where access to pharmaceuticals is limited a salt solution has the benefit of being less expensive, more readily available, and easy to produce. [4]
A small study of a commercial sea salt rinse used for routine oral hygiene found no significant benefit in fighting plaque or gingivitis. [1]
Gargling with salt water has been shown to reduce the incidence of upper respiratory infections, such as the common cold. [13]
The mechanism of salt rinse benefits, if any, remains a mystery. One hypothesis suggests the hypertonic nature of the saline solution draws out bacterial intracellular fluid by way of plasmolysis. Another that warmth induces vasodilatation, which activates phagocytes. [4] [11] [6]