6 Health Benefits Of Salt Water Gargle

One of the easiest at home remedies that has amazing health benefits is salt water gargle. Almost all of us must have used salt water gargle to treat sore throat in some point in our lives, it is that famous all over the world. But salt water has other amazing uses other than relieving sore throat. We use it for treating cold, cough, toothache, acid reflux, tonsillitis, oral thrush, bad breath, bleeding gums, bronchitis, sinus infection, itchy throat and phlegm !

For those of you who don’t know, salt water gargle is the act of gargling our mouth with warm water in which salt is dissolved. Usually salt water gargle is done to relieve throat pain and infection.

Salt water gargle works by a process called osmosis. Osmosis is a process in which the solvent moves from an area of higher concentration to lower concentration to create an area of equilibrium. When we gargle with salt water, salt moves into the inflamed tissues by the process of osmosis and draws out moisture from the swollen and inflamed tissues. Since salt has anti bacterial properties, it kills some of the bacteria and helps flush out the toxins effectively. When we gargle with salt water, the salt makes the area not hospitable for the bacteria to thrive and since it also reduces inflammation, it helps reduces the pain significantly too.

# Throat Pain & Itchy Throat

At home, if any one is suffering from throat pain usually they will be asked to do salt water gargle first as it helps reduces the infection and inflammation which in turn helps reduce throat pain. Mild forms of throat infection can be treated with salt gargle itself. You can also add anti inflammatory herbs to the gargle like licorice to make it more effective.

# For Sore Throat

If you are suffering from sore throat, two things will greatly help. One is drinking licorice tea and another is salt water gargle. Both if done together will help treat the infection and also reduce the inflammation very fast. You can find how to make licorice tea and the correct dosage here.

# For Acid Reflux

Acid reflux also called as heart burn is a condition in which the stomach acid flows back into the food pipe and causes intense irritation. It also leaves a acidic taste in the mouth and also cause throat irritation. Though salt water gargle will not treat acid reflux, it will help reduce certain symptoms of acid reflux like throat irritation and it also helps get rid of the acidic taste in the mouth.

# For Cough & Sinus Infection

Gargling with salt water is great when we are suffering from cold, cough and sinus infection. If you are suffering from cough, use this salt water gargle recipe: Boil a cup of water with 1/2 tsp of crystal salt and once the salt gets dissolved, add in handful of tulsi also called as holy basil leaves. Let it boil till the color of the water changes, now strain and use it to gargle. It will greatly help reduce cough.

# For Toothache

The most common cause of tooth pain is dental cavity which can lead to tooth decay. Another common cause is gum disease caused due to bacterial infection. If you are suffering from bacterial infection, salt water gargle will help reduce the infection and the inflammation in the gums thus reducing tooth pain to a great extent.

# For Bronchiti

Bronchitis is caused when the bronchi which carry air to the lungs gets inflamed. The common symptoms are coughing up mucus, wheezing and shortness of breath. There are are two types of bronchitis, one is acute and the other is chronic. Gargling with salt water will help loosen up the phlegm and will greatly ease the discomfort that we face when we are suffering from bronchitis.