You probably use salt everyday in your food, right? But did you ever think it can help with your teeth too? Sounds kinda strange, but actually salt is pretty good when it comes to keeping your mouth clean and away from some serious dental problems. Its been used from like ancient times, even before toothbrushes or any paste was invented.
I know, most people don’t think about salt like that. But let me explain. Salt is not just for food, it’s actually a great natural home remedy to keep your teeth, gums, and overall mouth healthy. So here I’m gonna tell you how salt helps and how to use it. No fancy science, just normal stuff.
1. Salt kills bacterias in the mouth
So, first thing – the reason why we even get things like cavities and bad breath is coz of bacteria living in our mouths. They love to hide between your teeth, on your tongue, and especially near the gums.
Salt can kill some of these bacterias. It doesn’t kill all of them, of course. But it helps reducing them. When you rinse your mouth with warm salt water, it creates a kinda bad enviroment for the germs. They can’t really survive in that salty space. It’s like they dry out or something.
So yeah, less germs = better breath, less cavities and less gum infection.
2. It helps with swollen gums and pain
You ever had your gums hurt? Maybe bleeding while brushing or they look red and puffy? That’s usually coz of some infection or maybe you didn’t floss for few days (been there lol).
Salt water rinse is really good for that. It reduces swelling and also takes away some of the pain. If you had a tooth pulled or got sore in your mouth, dentist will probably say to rinse with salt water twice a day. It actually works better than some expensive mouthwash sometimes.
Also, it’s super cheap. Just salt and water. That’s all you need.
3. Good for smelly breath (aka halitosis)
Let’s be honest, nobody wants their breath to stink. But sometimes even if you brush, your breath still smells weird. That’s probably cause of the bacteria that lives on your tongue and back of your mouth.
Salt helps kill some of those smell causing bacterias. It doesn’t make your breath minty or anything, but it can smell more “clean” if that makes sense. Not fresh, but not gross either.
If you don’t got mouthwash, just swish some salt water and you’re good.
4. Stops gum disease before it get worse
Gum disease (called gingvitis or something like that) starts small. You might just see blood when brushing. Then gums get red, then teeth feel kinda loose. If you don’t fix it, it gets serious.
Salt can help in the early stages. It keeps the area clean, reduce the germs, and helps the gums to heal a bit. It’s not gonna cure it all the way but it stops it from getting worse.
Also, some people say it pulls out infection. Like it draws it out through the skin. Not sure how true that is, but sounds cool.
5. Good for mouth sores too
You ever got those annoying little ulcers in your mouth? The ones that just show up randomly and hurt for days even when you’re trying to eat chips or drink juice?
Salt water can help those too. Yes, it stings a bit when you first rinse, but trust me, it helps them heal faster. You don’t need to do anything fancy – just swish with warm salty water 2-3 times a day and they’ll go away soon.
Some people even put salt directly on the sore but ouch. I wouldn’t do that unless you got a high pain tolerance
6. Helps with plaque build up
Plaque is that soft yellowish stuff that builds on your teeth. If you don’t remove it, it turns into hard tartar and then only dentist can remove that. Salt helps by stopping plaque from getting hard.
Like it won’t remove all plaque, but it makes it harder for bacteria to stick. Some folks even mix salt with baking soda to make homemade toothpaste. I tried it once – it was salty and gross but did clean good lol.
But don’t do that every day. It can be too strong and damage your enamel.
7. How to actually use salt
Okay so now you know salt is helpful. But how to use it properly?
Salt Water Rinse:
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Warm up some water (not hot)
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Add like half a teaspoon of salt (don’t overdo)
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Stir it till the salt dissolves
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Swish it in your mouth for 30 seconds to 1 min
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Spit it out (don’t swallow that salty mess)
Do this like once or twice a day. Morning and before bed is good.
Salt & Baking Soda (Optional)
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Mix 1/2 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp baking soda
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Add few drops of water to make paste
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Brush gently with it for like a minute
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Rinse well
Don’t do this daily. Once a week max. Otherwise you might hurt your teeth.
8. Things to watch out for
Even tho salt is natural and all that, you still gotta be careful. If you use too much, it can make your mouth dry or your teeth sensitive.
Also, if you have high blood pressure or some other health thing, you shouldn’t be swallowing any extra salt. Rinsing is fine, but don’t drink it obviously.
And if you feel like it burns too much or makes gums worse, maybe stop using it and talk to a dentist. Every mouth is different.
9. Salt is good, but not enough alone
Let me say this straight – salt is not a replacement for brushing. Just coz you swish with salt water doesn’t mean you can skip brushing and flossing. You still gotta do that stuff.
Salt is like a helper. It supports your regular cleaning routine. Think of it like… a sidekick. Your toothbrush is Batman, salt is Robin. Cool but not the main guy.
Final Words (Not salty ones lol)
So yeah, salt is kind of a secret hero when it comes to your teeth. It kills bacteria, helps with sore gums, gets rid of bad breath, and even heals small wounds in your mouth. Plus it’s cheap and probably already in your kitchen.
Just don’t go overboard with it. Use it right and it can really help your dental game. But if something feels really wrong in your mouth – go to a dentist. Don’t just throw salt on everything and hope it goes away
Try adding salt rinse to your night routine for a few days and see how your mouth feels. You might be surprised.