Summary
Rinsing with warm saline water can be an effective and easy way to maintain good oral hygiene, reduce inflammation, and contain the local inflammatory process, especially in developing countries.
Key points
- Warm saline rinses can be an effective method for good oral hygiene.
- It can reduce or even be an alternative to anti-inflammatory drugs intra-orally.
- Its high osmolality reduces inflammation and can be microbicidal.
- Warm saline rinses have been used successfully in post extraction cases.
- Rinsing with 100-150 ml of warm saline three to four times a day can be of help in the removal of loosened food particles, dead cells and mucus from the oral cavity.
- Oral irrigation and swishing of water are an economical and easy means of maintaining oral hygiene and reducing bleeding and gingival inflammation, especially in developing countries.
Sir, it was really admirable to read 'Hancocks' Law'1 (opens in a new tab) in the editorial Does the team think? as there is the same sorry state of affairs in India, even when the Dental Council of India(DCI) is striving hard to keep unauthorised dentists and doctors at bay. I am, however, quite hopeful that the DCI's efforts will bear fruit some day.
Also interesting was the letter titled Water swishing2 (opens in a new tab) stating that swishing of water3 (opens in a new tab) and oral irrigation4 (opens in a new tab) are an economical and easy means of maintaining oral hygiene and reducing bleeding and gingival inflammation, especially in developing countries.
Warming the water and adding a pinch of table salt to it can enhance its efficacy to a great extent. It can reduce or even be an alternative to anti-inflammatory drugs intra-orally. Its high osmolality reduces inflammation and can be microbicidal. Warm saline rinses have been used successfully in post extraction cases. We have also been using it in post surgical periodontal cases for many years and the results have been excellent.
Thus rinsing with 100-150 ml of warm saline three to four times a day can be an effective method for good oral hygiene. It can be of help in the removal of loosened food particles, dead cells and mucus from the oral cavity3 (opens in a new tab) as well as in containing the local inflammatory process.
References
- Hancocks S . Does the team think? Br Dent J 2009; 207: 301. Article (opens in a new tab) Google Scholar (opens in a new tab)
- Math M V, Balasubramaniam P . Water swishing. Br Dent J 2009; 207: 304. Article (opens in a new tab) Google Scholar (opens in a new tab)
- Math M V, Balasubramaniam P . Oral health and water. Indian J Nutr Diet 2008; 45: 388–391. Google Scholar (opens in a new tab)
- Barnes C M, Russell C M, Reinhardt R A, Payne J B, Lyle D M . Comparison of irrigation to floss as an adjunct to tooth brushing: effect on bleeding, gingivitis, and supragingival plaque. J Clin Dent 2005; 16: 71–77. PubMed (opens in a new tab) Google Scholar (opens in a new tab) Download references (opens in a new tab)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
- Haryana R. Malik
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