Using a salt water rinse to gargle with can be an effective way to help relieve mouth pain and winter sore throats. It is cheap and effective, and it is a safe alternative to using a medicated mouthwash. To make, add about half a teaspoon of salt to 250 mL of warm water, thoroughly mixing until it's combined.
How to Gargle?
It can take a bit of practice to gargle as you need to take a large mouthful of salt water before guarding it around the back of the throat. Rinse it around your teeth and gums before spitting out the solution. Although it is safe to swallow the salt water, it's better to spit it out. Young children may find it too difficult to gargle effectively.
How Can Salt Water Help Dental Health?
The effect of using salt water solutions isn't particularly well studied, but it has been found that gargling with salt water twice daily can significantly reduce levels of mouth bacteria. The salt water can help kill some mouth bacteria, but importantly, it helps to bring them to the surface of your gums, teeth, and throat so that more bacteria are washed away once you spit the salt water out.