Canker Sore or Dental Surgery? How to Make a Salt Water Mouth Rinse (2024)

Using a salt water (saline) rinse can help heal gums and improve oral health in a few days. Swish a salt water mixture for 15 to 30 seconds up to three times a day to cleanse your mouth, ward off infection, and relieve toothache pain.

You can make a salt water rinse at home by mixing 1 teaspoon of table salt with 8 ounces of lukewarm water.

This article provides step-by-step instructions on how to make a salt water rinse. It also explains how long it takes for salt water to heal your gums and support overall health.

Benefits of Salt Water Rinses

Traditional mouthwashes often have alcohol in them. They can irritate swollen mucous membranes in the mouth. That’s a big reason why dentists instead suggest using a salt water rinse to relieve pain and swelling after a deep cleaning or other dental procedure.

Salt water rinses have been proven to:

• Soothe oral ulcers or mouth sores
• Reduce dental plaque and microbial count
• Reduce bad breath

Dentists commonly recommend patients use a salt water rinse after having wisdom teeth removed or other oral surgery.

Baking soda is another ingredient often used in mouth rinses. Like salt, it can kill bacteria in the mouth; it also reduces acidity, which can irritate teeth and gums.

How to Make a Salt Water Rinse

You can easily make a good saline solution at home. You’ll need two to three ingredients that almost everyone has in their kitchen. It’s a good idea to make a fresh batch every time you use this rinse. Make sure you mix the right ratio of salt to water.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces of warm water
• 1 teaspoon salt (or 1/2 teaspoon to start for sensitive patients)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda (optional)

How to Prepare the Rinse

Making a salt water mouth rinse is easy. It takes about 10 minutes to prepare.

1. Start by bringing 8 ounces of warm water to a rolling boil. (If you cannot boil the water, use warm tap water instead.)
2. Turn off the heat.
3. Let the water stand until it’s cool enough to rinse with but still warm. The heat helps to dissolve the salt and baking soda.
4. While the water is still warm, sprinkle in the salt (and baking soda if you’re using it) and stir until it completely dissolves.
5. Use the saline solution as directed and discard any leftover solution.

Make a fresh solution for each use.

When to Use

Gargling with a salt water solution can be an effective way to keep your mouth healthy. Listed below are some of the ways you can use this type of rinse.

Healthy Gums

Having good oral hygiene can help keep your gums clean and healthy. Using a saltwater rinse occasionally can help combat bacteria that cause gum disease and tooth decay. It can also help soothe gums that are bleeding. One research study found that a salt water solution with .9% to 1.8% salt helped promote healthy gums and improve healing from gum disease.

Toothache

Rinsing with warm salt water two to three times a day may help to relieve a toothachebecause salt water works as an antiseptic. It gently removesbacteria from the infected area and helps reduce inflammation.

Oral Ulcers

Research shows that rinsing the mouth with a salt water solution may help get rid of canker sores (aphthous ulcers). Not only does it help disinfect and soothe the ulcer, but it may also promote wound healing.

After Oral Surgery

Your healthcare provider may recommend that you rinse your mouth with a salt water solution to help your recovery after oral surgery. This includes a tooth extraction or a procedure that affects the gums and tissues in the mouth. Research shows that this treatment can help reduce inflammation and promote the healing process.

Sore Throat

Gargling with salt water can also help soothe a sore or irritated throat.

A 2019 study published in the Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medical Research found that gargling with a salt solution helped reduce pain and other symptoms associated with an inflamed throat (pharyngitis).

Respiratory Infections

Some studies have found that saline rinse used for nasal irrigation and gargling may reduce the duration of upper respiratory infections.

One small study of 68 people looked at how salt water nasal irrigation and gargling affect the common cold. They found that 93% of participants felt it helped their symptoms. They also found it decreased the duration of the cold by about two days.

A secondary analysis of the findings noted that it also reduced the upper respiratory symptoms of COVID, and the duration by about two days. However, the researchers noted the need for larger studies to confirm findings.

Precautions

While using a saltwater rinse is generally considered safe and has a number of advantages, it might not be the best treatment solution for everyone.

It should not be used as a substitute for proper dental or medical care. While occasional use is usually safe, do not use a salt water rinse every day. Overusing saltwater rinses may possibly soften your tooth enamel and irritate your gums. Check with your healthcare provider about how often a saline rinse is needed.

It’s not clear what effect mouth rinses containing sodium (either sodium chloride or sodium bicarbonate) may have on sodium levels in the blood. High salt intake may affect hydration levels as well. If you have a medical condition (such as hypertension) that could be affected by an increase in salt intake, talk with your healthcare provider before regularly using this type of rinse.

When you use a salt water rinse, use it before brushing your teeth. The rinse shouldn’t be used after brushing your teeth since it can interfere with the protective fluoride in toothpaste.

Summary

Salt water rinses can be used to reduce pain and help with swelling if you’ve had a dental procedure or you have canker sores or a sore throat.

Making the saline solution is as easy as stirring a teaspoon of salt into 8 ounces of water that has been boiled and cooled a little. You can also add 2 teaspoons of baking soda to the mixture if you like.

Use the rinse while the salt water is still warm but not hot enough to burn your mouth. Make it fresh each time you use it.

Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions about how often to rinse with salt water.