In general, oral gargles have the function of preventing tooth decay and plaque formation, and depending on the type, they can relieve stomatitis or sore throat. Gargling does not necessarily mean using mouthwash, and gargling with water alone can remove foreign substances attached to the mouth to some extent.
Mouth gargles should be used as a complementary way of managing oral hygiene, but if dental health is not considered or if mouthwash is used excessively, oral health can be adversely affected. How should I gargle for the benefit of my oral health? I asked the experts at haidaq.
Gargling is an auxiliary means of managing oral hygiene｜Source: Getty Image Bank
Q. Tell us how to use gargles to help improve oral health.
Gargling is recommended to be spit out after 30 seconds to 1 minute with a small amount of 10 to 15 mL in the mouth. It is important to know how to use it correctly, because misuse can cause bad breath. If you rinse with water immediately after gargling, the residual ingredients from gargling left in your mouth will disappear. Therefore, the function of the gargle has no choice but to decline. It is recommended not to rinse with water immediately after using the gargle, but to give it a tum. Also, if you gargle often because of these steps, your mouth may be dry, so you should use it while keeping the appropriate number of times a day.
– Head of Haidak Dental Counseling Doctor, Park Je-hyeon (White Dream Dental Clinic)
Q. I am a mother in the early stages of pregnancy. I get nauseous every time I brush my teeth Can I use gargle often instead of brushing?
Stomatitis, bad breath, and gum disease may occur more frequently during pregnancy. If it is difficult to get enough sleep and vitamin intake is insufficient due to morning sickness, the above discomfort can occur. If even brushing is difficult, gargle often. If you do not swallow the gargle solution, it is not a problem for the fetus, and there are alcohol-free gargle solutions on the market. However, gargling liquid is less effective than brushing in removing plaque attached to the surface of the tooth, so it is recommended to use gargling liquid and brushing together when morning sickness is reduced.
– Director Kang Mi-ji, counseling doctor at Haidak Obstetrics and Gynecology (Yeonopi Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic)
Q. Can I brush my teeth before going to bed and then immediately use a mouth spray and gargle?
If you gargle immediately after brushing your teeth, it will instead cause bad breath and tooth discoloration. It is recommended to use brushing and gargling at intervals of around 2 hours. It doesn’t matter which order, which to do first, which to do later, etc. Mouth sprays can also dry out your mouth, making it worse for cavities. We recommend brushing your teeth with toothpaste if possible.
– Haidak Dental Counseling Doctor Ahn Ji-woong (Seoul Maison Dental Clinic)
Q. Can gargle prevent gum disease?
The cause of gum disease is bacteria, and there is a lot of bacteria in food plaque or dental plaque. Gum disease can be prevented by removing these causes of gum disease. However, it is difficult to remove plaque or tartar. It is recommended to use it as an auxiliary means after brushing. In addition, regular scaling and gum treatment at the dentist will help prevent gum disease.
– Haidak Seungbeom Hong Dental Counseling Doctor (Seoul The Central Dental Clinic)
Q. Can I gargle with salt water after implantation?
After implant placement surgery, there may be pain and swelling for about 1 to 2 weeks even if the implant placement is well connected to the gum bone. At this time, it is difficult to brush your teeth, so sometimes you have to gargle. Gargling with salt water after implant surgery has no therapeutic problems. However, brushing with salt water is not very useful for oral health, so brush your teeth with toothpaste, but be careful not to touch the implant surgery site as much as possible.
– Haidaq Dental Consultant Seo Jun-seok (Seoul S Dental Clinic)
Q. Can I do oil pulling after implantation?
Oil pulling is a form of detoxification that removes plaque and bacteria in the mouth by holding oil in the mouth and then spitting it out, as well as spitting out toxins through the salivary glands and mucous membranes. However, oil removal is not recommended after implant surgery. Internal wounds occur after implant surgery. If oil pulling is performed while the wound is still unhealed, oil residue may remain and may be a source of infection. Therefore, oil pulling is recommended when the oral condition is healthy.
– Haidak Seungbeom Hong Dental Counseling Doctor (Seoul The Central Dental Clinic)
Q. Does gargling salt water help relieve a sore throat?
Gargling with salt water is simple but helps treat sore throats and frequent coughs. Salt water can reduce coughing by reducing phlegm and mucus in the back of your throat. It also has a bactericidal effect, reducing bacteria in the bronchi and reducing inflammation. Stir half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water until the salt dissolves, then gargle with salt water from time to time to help relieve a sore throat. It is recommended to pay attention to oral hygiene by gargling often until the symptoms are relieved. If there is no improvement after gargling with salt water, finding an otolaryngologist and seeing a doctor will help treat a sore throat.
– Haidak Otolaryngology Counseling Doctor Kim Ji-hong (Koizen Otolaryngology Clinic)
* This article has been reproduced from a Haidak expert answer.
Support = Haidak Counseling Doctor Park Jehyeon (Dental Specialist at White Dream Dental Clinic), Haidak Counseling Doctor Miji Kang (Obstetrics Specialist at Yeonopi Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic), Haidak Counseling Doctor Jiung Ahn (Dental Specialist at Seoul Maison Dental Clinic), Haidak Counseling Hong Seung-beom (Dental Specialist at Seoul Central Dental Clinic), Haidak advisor Dr. Seo Jun-seok (dental specialist of Seoul S Dental Clinic), Haidac counseling doctor Dr. Kim Ji-hong (Otolaryngology specialist at Koizen Otolaryngology Clinic)
