The Magic of Saline for Your Oral Health

Dental pain is among the worst pains in the world. Unfortunately, we can’t always receive immediate help when it strikes. In such moments, we try to help ourselves with what we can. Painkillers, rinses, anything we can find will do. Saline is one of these magic, home remedies - simple water with salt.

This remedy has helped people for many centuries. The unique abilities of salt make it relevant even now, with the great development of medicine and pharmaceutics. It reduces the inflammation due to the ability of salt to absorb water out of the inflamed zone. It also absorbs bacteria from your gums. Salt is able to reach into the most difficult places in your mouth.

In addition, salt also absorbs food leftovers that cause inflammation. Bacteria can’t reproduce in an environment that lacks water. Saline contains microelements, hypoallergenic and is absolutely safe even when accidentally swallowed.

Which Salt is Better?

Even the salt you use for cooking will do. You can take sea salt if you’re going to rinse your mouth. But you can’t use salt with spices, flavors or bath salt – the product must be clean and contain no artificial dyes, flavors or spice that can irritate your oral mucosa.

How to Do It Properly?

There are some rules for using saline to make it more effective.

1. Your rinse should be at a proper temperature. It shouldn’t be too cold or too hot. The inflamed mucosa can be burned by hot water, and the cold water will only increase your pain. In some cases, cold water can relieve your pain, but it’s only in cases of purulent nerve inflammation.


2. Clean your teeth thoroughly before you rinse the mouth. It is important to remove any food leftovers to increase its effectiveness.


3. You should rinse your mouth for no less than 5 minutes but with a new portion of saline every 30 seconds.


4. If you are rinsing a sore tooth, you should bend your head for the rinse to wash it properly.


5. Rinse it as much as you can, ideally each hour.


6. You may want to wash your mouth with clean water after rinsing, but don’t do it. You shouldn’t eat, drink or wash your mouth after rinsing for at least 5 minutes.

Is Saline Rinse Always Safe to Use?

There is a condition when it’s better to choose another option. If you have severe periodontal disease, severe pain or you see significant inflammation, you can try these rinses instead of saline:

• Aloe Vera juice - Mix it with a glass of water and rinse your mouth 3 times a day.


• Sage water - Mince a sage leaf and mix it with a glass of hot water. Rinse your mouth after brushing your teeth in the morning.


• Chamomile water - Take 1 tbsp. of chamomile flowers and mix it with hot water. Rinse your mouth until you feel better.

You can also use essential oils. The oils of sea buckthorn, black cumin or tea tree are the best to relieve dental pain or gum inflammation. However, if the pain doesn’t stop, try to see your dentist as soon as you can.