Introduction
For centuries people have been gargling with salt water when suffering from inflammation in the throat or colds. It makes the mucous membranes swell and relieves pain. Salt water is therefore healing, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. These effects of salt also often cause doctors and pharmacists to recommend salt water gargling to the patient. Anyone can produce this household remedy easily and cheaply.
Preparation of salt water
Before you can gargle with salt water, the salt solution is prepared. It consists of salt and water. This mixture, in which the ingredients are in a special ratio to each other, is also called brine.
It is recommended to use a pure and high quality mineral-rich salt for the solution. Sea salt or rock salt (for example Himalayan salt) can be used. Due to its crystalline form, sea salt does not require an artificially added separating agent.
This makes it particularly high quality. Iodized salt or table salt is less recommended. The salt is dissolved in drinking water, which should be lukewarm.
Only in dissolved form it can fully develop its healing powers. For the production of salt water for gargling, salt and water are needed. This mixture makes the brine.
It is very simple and uncomplicated to produce. It is best to use lukewarm water, which would also be suitable for drinking, and high-quality salt. For every 250 milliliters of water you need about half a teaspoon to a whole teaspoon of salt.
By stirring, the salt can dissolve in the water and the brine is formed. To gargle with salt water you only need a mixture of salt and water. The right salt for preparing a brine is available in the pharmacy as well as in a well-stocked grocery store. For a product from the pharmacy, the packaging is usually labelled with exact quantities (mixing ratio) of salt and water.
Applications of salt water
The best known and most frequent use of gargling with salt water is for sore throats (usually in the context of a cold). The salt has antibacterial, disinfecting, analgesic, decongestant and anti-inflammatory effects. Furthermore, it moistens the dry and irritated mucous membranes in the mouth and throat and thus supports the healing process.
Many other areas of application result from these properties of the salt. Gargling with salt water is also recommended for hoarseness or swallowing difficulties. Other classic complaints that can be alleviated by the use of salt water are coughing and scratching in the throat.
It is also recommended for inflammations. These include sore throat, tonsillitis, laryngitis or bronchitis. Furthermore, it is also said to help with almond stones.
Not to forget the cleansing effect of the salt. Therefore, gargling is also very popular in oral and dental hygiene and care. It can even help with bad breath.
Likewise, salt water gargling can also improve bleeding gums or gum inflammation. Salt water gargling is often used for sore throats. However, there are many more health problems for which it can provide relief.
One of these is bad breath. Salt water gargling can improve bad breath, but it does not have to. This is because halitosis can have many different causes, some of which cannot be treated by salt water.
For example, bad breath can be caused by rotten teeth or problems in the gastrointestinal tract. However, if the bad breath is caused by the normal bacterial flora in the mouth, which is reduced by the salt water, the throat can certainly help. However, if salt water gargling does not provide the desired relief, it is advisable to contact your doctor or dentist.
Salt not only has an antibacterial, decongestant and anti-inflammatory effect on the mucous membranes, but also dissolves mucus. It moistens the mucous membrane, which is no longer optimally moistened by a cold, for example, and thus can no longer defend itself against bacteria and viruses. This moistening supports the function of the mucous membrane. Furthermore, the salt has a cleansing and blood circulation-promoting effect on the mucous membranes. This also leads to the dissolving and removal of mucus.
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