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]
Mouthwash, mouth rinse, oral rinse, or mouth bath is a liquid which is held in the mouth passively or swirled around the mouth by contraction of the perioral muscles and/or movement of the head, and may be gargled, where the head is tilted back and the liquid bubbled at the back of the mouth.
Candidiasis is a fungal infection due to any species of the genus Candida. When it affects the mouth, in some countries it is commonly called thrush. Signs and symptoms include white patches on the tongue or other areas of the mouth and throat. Other symptoms may include soreness and problems swallowing. When it affects the vagina, it may be referred to as a yeast infection or thrush. Signs and symptoms include genital itching, burning, and sometimes a white "cottage cheese-like" discharge from the vagina. Yeast infections of the penis are less common and typically present with an itchy rash. Very rarely, yeast infections may become invasive, spreading to other parts of the body. This may result in fevers, among other symptoms.
A lip piercing is a type of body piercing that penetrates the lips or the area surrounding the lips, which can be pierced in a variety of ways.
Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is a symptom in which a noticeably unpleasant breath odour is present. It can result in anxiety among those affected. It is also associated with depression and symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder.
Dentures are prosthetic devices constructed to replace missing teeth, supported by the surrounding soft and hard tissues of the oral cavity. Conventional dentures are removable. However, there are many denture designs, some of which rely on bonding or clasping onto teeth or dental implants. There are two main categories of dentures, the distinction being whether they fit onto the mandibular arch or on the maxillary arch.
Chlorhexidine is a disinfectant and antiseptic with the molecular formula C22H30Cl2N10, which is used for skin disinfection before surgery and to disinfect surgical instruments. It is also used for cleaning wounds, preventing dental plaque, treating yeast infections of the mouth, and to keep urinary catheters from blocking. It is used as a liquid or a powder. It is commonly used in salt form, either the gluconate or the acetate.
Alveolar osteitis, also known as dry socket, is inflammation of the alveolar bone. Classically, this occurs as a postoperative complication of tooth extraction.
Hexetidine is an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agent commonly used in both veterinary and human medicine. It is a local anesthetic, astringent and deodorant and has antiplaque effects.
A dental extraction is the removal of teeth from the dental alveolus (socket) in the alveolar bone. Extractions are performed for a wide variety of reasons, but most commonly to remove teeth which have become unrestorable through tooth decay, periodontal disease, or dental trauma, especially when they are associated with toothache. Sometimes impacted wisdom teeth cause recurrent infections of the gum (pericoronitis), and may be removed when other conservative treatments have failed. In orthodontics, if the teeth are crowded, healthy teeth may be extracted to create space so the rest of the teeth can be straightened.
Sodium perborate is chemical compound whose chemical formula may be written NaH2BO4, Na2H4B2O8, or, more properly, [Na+]2[B2O4(OH)4]2−. Its name is sometimes abbreviated as PBS.
Gargling is the act of bubbling liquid in the mouth. It is also the washing of one's throat with a liquid that is kept from being swallowed by continuous exhalation. This produces a characteristic gurgling sound. Mouthwash or hydrogen peroxide is often employed.
Pericoronitis is inflammation of the soft tissues surrounding the crown of a partially erupted tooth, including the gingiva (gums) and the dental follicle. The soft tissue covering a partially erupted tooth is known as an operculum, an area which can be difficult to access with normal oral hygiene methods. The hyponym operculitis technically refers to inflammation of the operculum alone.
Cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) is a cationic quaternary ammonium compound used in some types of mouthwashes, toothpastes, lozenges, throat sprays, breath sprays, and nasal sprays. It is an antiseptic that kills bacteria and other microorganisms. It has been shown to be effective in preventing dental plaque and reducing gingivitis. It has also been used as an ingredient in certain pesticides. Though one study seems to indicate cetylpyridinium chloride does not cause brown tooth stains, at least one mouthwash containing CPC as an active ingredient bears the warning label "In some cases, antimicrobial rinses may cause surface staining to teeth," following a failed class-action lawsuit brought by customers whose teeth were stained.
Mucositis is the painful inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membranes lining the digestive tract, usually as an adverse effect of chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment for cancer. Mucositis can occur anywhere along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, but oral mucositis refers to the particular inflammation and ulceration that occurs in the mouth. Oral mucositis is a common and often debilitating complication of cancer treatment.
Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping one's oral cavity clean and free of disease and other problems by regular brushing of the teeth and adopting good hygiene habits. It is important that oral hygiene be carried out on a regular basis to enable prevention of dental disease and bad breath. The most common types of dental disease are tooth decay and gum diseases, including gingivitis, and periodontitis.
Dentyl Dual Action, previously known as Dentyl Active, and originally as Dentyl pH, is a brand of mouthwash, an oral hygiene product designed to reduce the presence of bacteria responsible for tooth decay, gingivitis and halitosis. Traditional mouthwash formulations typically use alcohol or other antimicrobial ingredients to kill bacteria.
When extracting lower wisdom teeth, coronectomy is a treatment option involving removing the crown of the lower wisdom tooth, whilst keeping the roots in place in healthy patients. This option is given to patients as an alternative to extraction when the wisdom teeth are in close association with the inferior alveolar nerve, and so used to prevent damage to the nerve which may occur during extraction.
Biotene is an over-the-counter dental hygiene product currently marketed GSK plc. It comes in a number of forms, including toothpaste, mouthwash and gel.
Dental avulsion is the complete displacement of a tooth from its socket in alveolar bone owing to trauma, such as can be caused by a fall, road traffic accident, assault, sports, or occupational injury. Typically, a tooth is held in place by the periodontal ligament, which becomes torn when the tooth is knocked out.
Trichomonas tenax, or oral trichomonas, is a species of Trichomonas commonly found in the oral cavity of humans. Routine hygiene is generally not sufficient to eliminate the parasite, hence its Latin name, meaning "tenacious". The parasite is frequently encountered in periodontal infections, affecting more than 50% of the population in some areas, but it is usually considered insignificant. T. tenax is generally not found on the gums of healthy patients. It is known to play a pathogenic role in necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis and necrotizing ulcerative periodontitis, worsening preexisting periodontal disease. This parasite is also implicated in some chronic lung diseases; in such cases, removal of the parasite is sufficient to allow recovery.